With a 3-0 defeat to Brighton at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, Arsenal waved their Premier League title chances goodbye as a win for Manchester City in their next game will be enough to successfully defend their title for the third year running. Meanwhile, the Seagulls gave the perfect response to their 5-1 defeat to Everton last weekend to keep their European hopes alive moving into the last four games. City went four points clear at the top of the table with a 3-0 win over the Toffees at Goodison earlier in the day so the Gunners needed to carry on their winning run from the last two games to maintain the pressure on the holders which they failed to do.
Leonardo Trossard hit the crosspiece against his old side in the first half coming on as an early substitute after Gabriel Martinelli was taken off due to an injury concern. Before that, Roberto De Zerbi's team had a great chance to score through Julio Encisco who skied his effort after Kaoru Mitoma lend him the pass going past Ben White. Evan Ferguson also tested Aaron Ramsdale at his near post. Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard also pulled their shots wide from shooting positions. The first-half looked disjointed at times although Brighton made sure the latter period becomes productive for them.
Youngster Encisco gave the visitors the lead only five minutes after the break from a Pervis Estupinian cross. In the build up to the goal, Ferguson seemed to have trod on Jakub Kiwior who went down in pain and could have cleared the danger before it felt to the Paraguayan but it was purely accidental. Mikel Arteta brought Reiss Nelson into the field for the response and he almost made an impact coming on with his low shot just fizzing wide.
However, all chances of a comeback were dashed when Deniz Undav lobbed over Aaron Ramsdale for the second in the 86th minute before Pervis Estupinian sealed it in stoppage time with his first goal for Brighton since joining last summer. Arsenal will now travel to Nottingham to face Forest before City play their game next weekend knowing a win will not be enough for them. There will be no such worries for De Zerbi and his men anticipating another victory in a huge tie against Newcastle United in the midweek.
Three
Brighton have now registered three wins in a row in their trip to the Emirates in all competition. Two have come in this campaign, the other one being in the Carabao Cup tie played last year. They are only the fifth side to win here twice in a single season and first after Liverpool last campaign.
Down to three
Arsenal have now lost three of their last four matches at home in this meeting in all competitions. The Seagulls are also the only team to win of half of their away matches against the Gunners in the Premier League.
25
The number of goals Arsenal have conceded at home this season, their joint-most in a single Premier League campaign. This the highest ever tally conceded since moving to Emirates. The 3-0 defeat is also the heaviest they suffered since against Liverpool in 2021 by the same scoreline.
At the top
Brighton have averaged more shots on target with 6.2 per 90 than any other side in the Premier League, even beating Manchester City. However, they have convertion rate of 8.9% which is less than City's 12.3%.
