17 December 2023 , 17:46
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Back in balmy May, Brighton ended Arsenal’s title hopes with a brilliant 3-0 victory over Mikel Arteta's side... seven months and a transfer window later, the Gunners served up their revenge in the cold over the Europa League hopefuls
The two-goal margin of victory through second-half goals from Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz does not do justice to the superior number of shots Arsenal sent in (26-6). And only an injury-time save by Bart Verbruggen from Emile Smith Rowe prevented another 3-0 win.
Since early summer, Declan Rice and Kai Havertz have arrived at Arsenal while Brighton have lost Moises Caicedo, Alexis Mac Allister and Levi Colvill. But two things remained the same. Arsenal failed to take enough chances - and Pascal Gross should have equalised when he was unmarked six yards out with Brighton’s only second attempt on goal after 82 minutes.
The Gunners will have to buy a striker in the January window if they want to sustain their latest title challenge.
And Arteta, who beat an FA rap last week, continues to show unpleasant disrespect to officials and was booked for a Premier League-high four times this season in the opening period.
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After praising the maturity and patience shown by his team, the Spaniard claimed: “I think we had a really good first half last year as well. We should have scored two or three goals and we didn’t. That was my concern at half time again.
"But if we generate more, the probability for scoring will be higher. That’s the only thing that we can focus on. Today we showed a real determination from beginning to end to beat them.”
Mikel Arteta celebrates Arsenal's victory against Brighton (Getty Images)Brighton were seeking a fourth consecutive win at the Emirates and James Milner’s early crunching tackle on Bukayo Saka set the tone for a niggly first half where Arsenal sent in 11 shots to none for Brighton and earned two yellow cards to one.
Referee Tim Robinson made a difficult half even harder for him by not issuing a booking. Bart Verbruggen saved a Gabriel header while Kai Havertz shot over from a Saka cutback under pressure from Jan Paul van Hecke. Home frustrations increased when Ben White received the first booking for pulling back Kaoru Mitoma to stop a Seagulls counterattack.
Four minutes later Robinson succumbed to pressure from Gunners fans - and Arteta waving his arms in the air on the touchline - by booking Mitoma for fouling Saka. Arteta also felt “vindicated” enough for beating the FA rap for his comments after the Newcastle defeat to wave his arms in protest to earn another caution.
“I was waving to Martinelli,” he later claimed.
After the break, Van Hecke made a last-ditch tackle on Odegaard. But Martinelli’s resulting corner flicked off the head of the big Dutchman to allow the unmarked Jesus to nod home at the far post. Brighton’s last clean sheet was here in May and they have now set an unwanted club record of 21 league games conceding.
Arsenal have scored a league-high 25 goals from setpieces since the start of last season. “Height is really important on set plays,” said Arteta.
Gabriel Jesus of Arsenal celebrates (Getty Images)De Zerbi made a triple change on the hour and first-half sub Jack Hinshelwood registered Brighton’s first effort on goals four minutes later. After the outstanding Lewis Dunk blocked an Odegaard shot and cleared a White header off the line, the visitors should have equalised. Pedro released Mitoma but his cross was steered wide by Gross.
And the victory was sealed when Eddie Nketiah released Havertz in the 87th minute for the German to net his fourth goal in seven games since the international break
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