The Gunners failed to reclaim their top-four spot as Brighton ended a seven-game winless run in London.
Brighton defeated Arsenal 2-1 in their Premier League game on Saturday. The Seagulls clinched a surprise victory as they handed a serious blow to Arsenal’s top-four hopes.
A new crisis at Emirates?
Arsenal’s start to the current season was so disastrous that even their subsequent period of brilliant attacking performances could not fully establish their place among the league’s top four.
With the Premier League reaching its decisive phase, the Gunners seem to be suffering from another dip in form. Following their last week’s defeat against Crystal Palace, Arsenal faced Brighton in a must-win match on Saturday.
However, their poor start to the game resulted in Leandro Trossard snatching an opener for the guests in the 28th minute. Arsenal thought they had secured an equalizer through Gabriel Martinelli just before the interval. However, upon reviewing by VAR, the referee ruled out the Gunners’ goal.
Despite Arsenal dominating the possession throughout the second period, it was Brighton who doubled their lead in the 66th minute.
A sublime strike from Enock Mwepu saw Brighton going ahead 2-0 while the Gunners struggled to get back into the game. Arsenal went all-in with their attacks after the goal, hitting the post twice before scoring their first goal of the night in the 89th minute.
Martin Odegaard’s goal, however, was not enough to save Arsenal from suffering their second defeat in a row. The Gunners remain in fifth place, hoping Tottenham won’t increase their gap to the fourth spot when they meet Aston Villa later today.
What’s next for Arsenal?
Arsenal will now prepare to face Southampton at Saint Mary’s on Saturday. The Saints suffered a crushing 6-0 defeat against Chelsea on Saturday.
Let’s see if Arsenal’s front line can return back to their best form when they meet Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side next weekend.
Player Ratings
Arsenal: Ramsdale (5); Soares (7), White (5), Gabriel (6), Xhaka (7); Lokonga (6), Smith Rowe (5); Saka (7), Odegaard (7), Martinelli (6); Lacazette (6).
Bench: Pepe (6), Nketiah (7).
Brighton: Sanchez (7); Veltman (7), Dunk (7), Cucurella (7); Mwepu (9), Gross (6), Caicedo (6), Bissouma (7), Mac Allister (6); Welbeck (7), Trossard (7).
Bench: Lallana (6), Webster (6), Lamptey (5).
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