Arsenal 2 Brighton 0
Mikel Arteta welcomed a Brighton side to The Emirates who had won their last three games here in all competitions. This reiterated the size of the task The Gunners faced as they looked to go back to the top of the table.
Arsenal started brightly with White causing issues down the right. He played the ball into Odegaard who looked to bend one in the far corner but his left-footed effort went the wrong side of the post. The keeper was at full stretch but the Norwegian’s shot was a matter of inches wide.
Odegaard then threaded the ball through, spotting the run of Bukayo Saka. He unselfishly squared the ball back to Martinelli, who unbelievably skied his shot over the bar with not even a keeper to beat. The finishing of Arsenal’s front three continues to be a concern.
Martinelli then cut in from the left with the angle getting tighter and tighter. Once again, the Brazilian went for goal but it was easily blocked. Havertz looked to shoot from the follow up but van Hecke got his body in between the ball and the goal.
Credit: @premierleague
The Seagulls gifted the ball to Rice who picked out Saka in the box. He spotted his skipper and found him brilliantly but as he tried to shuffle it onto his left foot, the visitors cleared their lines. Odegaard could not be more one-footed if he were to have his right leg amputated.
From the resulting corner, van Hecke failed to clear his lines and his attempt to head the ball just flicked it to the back post. It gave Jesus a free header into an empty net. Chances do not come easier than that.
Gabriel Jesus has never really been a natural goalscorer but there were not many people in The Emirates who would have missed that gift. ‘Tis the season of giving and goodwill to all men, Brighton’s Dutch centre-back was definitely feeling the festive spirit.
Roberto de Zerbi’s side were offering nothing as an attacking threat in the game. It was a case of attack versus defence and captain Lewis Dunk had to head the ball clear from under his own crossbar to prevent Arsenal doubling their lead.
Odegaard was causing all sorts of problems for the visitors and as he went on a mazy run into their box, his left-footed shot was brilliantly saved by Verbruggen. The one-handed save was truly world class and had kept his side in this game.
In the final ten minutes of the game, The Seagulls came forward for the first time. Mitoma did well down the left and managed to pick out Gross at the near post. The Brighton skipper should have scored but put his effort wide of the post.
Credit: @Arsenal
That would have been the ultimate sucker punch for Mikel Arteta’s side but this is what happens when you do not put games to bed. Verbruggen had kept the visitors in this contest, his efforts would have been rewarded had Gross managed to score.
Finally The Gunners managed to seal all three points as Odegaard found Saka, with Brighton looking stretched at the back. He then put Havertz in and the German slotted past Verbruggen to ensure that Arsenal were going to return to the top of the Premier League table.
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