Arsenal return to Premier League summit after edgy victory over Brighton
Martin Odegaard and Georginio Rutter’s own goal were key for the Gunners.
Arsenal moved back to the top of the Premier League table with a nervy 2-1 win against Brighton at the Emirates.
Mikel Arteta’s side started their penultimate match of the year a point back from Manchester City but they were ahead after just 14 minutes when Martin Odegaard fired home his first goal of the season.
Brighton’s Georginio Rutter then headed Declan Rice’s corner into his own net after 52 minutes only for the visitors to haul themselves back into the contest when Diego Gomez lashed home shortly after the hour mark.
David Raya produced a fine diving save to deny Yankuba Minteh with 15 minutes left in what could prove a pivotal stop in Arsenal’s bid for a first league title in two decades.
The win takes Arsenal two points clear of City before they round of the calendar year with a fixture at home to third-placed Aston Villa on Tuesday. Brighton have taken just two points from a possible 15 and have slipped to 12th.
On a sour note for Arteta, his defensive problems mounted up prior to kick-off when Riccardo Calafiori sustained an injury in the warm-up.
Both Jurrien Timber and Ben White were absent here – with Rice largely impressing as an emergency right-back – while Cristhian Mosquera is also out.
Gabriel, who has been sidelined since November 8, did return as a second-half substitute.
After City won the lunchtime kick-off at Nottingham Forest, the pressure was on a side who have finished runners-up in the league for the past three seasons.
However, they started well and Viktor Gyokeres should have done better when he side-footed at Bart Verbruggen inside two minutes before Bukayo Saka ghosted past Maxim de Cuyper only to find Verbruggen equal to his close-range effort.
Saka then blazed over and from the ensuing goal kick, came the opener. Martin Zubimendi reacted first to Verbruggen’s hospital pass and Rice’s header found Saka, who played the ball to Odegaard.
The Arsenal captain was afforded too much room, taking one touch to compose himself, before firing a low, left-footed strike that nestled into the bottom corner.
Half-chances for Saka and Rice, on two occasions, followed, and Verbruggen then turned away Zubimendi’s neat back-heel following a goalmouth scramble.
Verbruggen was in the spotlight on the stroke of half-time when he clattered Gyokeres on the far touchline, but he escaped with a caution and Brighton were able to keep the deficit to one at the interval.
But less than seven minutes of the second half had been played when the hosts doubled their advantage after an unmarked Rutter’s near-post header left Verbruggen with no chance.
It marked another goal from a corner and a fourth own goal across three home games Arsenal have been able to cash in on.
On the hour mark, Gyokeres saw his shot blocked by Verbruggen – the Sweden international’s wait for a goal in open play extending to seven matches – but Arsenal looked in cruise control.
That was until Yasin Ayari’s shot hit Raya’s far post and Gomez fired home the rebound. A flying fingertip stop from Raya then kept out Minteh’s curling effort with the home support suddenly riddled by anxiety.
Arsenal have made a habit of conceding late goals in recent times and Arteta was on his knees when substitute Gabriel Martinelli managed to hit his six-yard shot over the bar with five minutes to go.
But the Spaniard’s side managed to get three crucial points over the line to keep Pep Guardiola’s in-form City at arm’s length.
