Capitalising on Manchester Metropolis’s stumble at Everton, Arsenal went into the sport aiming to increase their lead on the prime once they face Brighton of their final Premier League match of 2022.
Brighton performed the match with two modifications to the beginning line-up from the crew that beat Southampton. Italian supervisor De Zerbi has gambled on Lamptey and Gilmour. In the meantime, Alexis Mac Allister continues to take pleasure in day off after profitable the World Cup.
Elsewhere, Mikel Arteta has executed just one change to Arsenal from final Monday’s turnaround over West Ham, with Zinchenko approaching rather than Tierney within the left-back place.
Regardless of Brighton’s aggressive momentum in the course of the present season, Arsenal wanted simply two minutes to open the scoring by means of teen Bukayo Aaka, benefiting from Partey’s interception to start out one other positive collective transfer, with Partey and Martinelli that includes.
Brighton grew in possession for the rest of the primary half, however failed to supply any actual hazard to their opponents. Arsenal, however, collected a number of probabilities on counter-attacks and located the second purpose within the thirty ninth minute, with Odegaard executing a half volley in entrance of the markers.
After the break, the Gunners once more wanted simply two minutes to attain one other purpose. On one other counter-attack, Martinelli surged down the left with high quality and crossed low for Nketiah to complete.
Had the match resulted in 3-0 scoreline, Arsenal would have acquired nothing however reward, however the issues of De Zerbi’s new-found strategy uncovered defensive frailties within the remaining third.
Consequently, Brighton collected harmful probabilities and the Gunners have been too uncovered to the counter-attacks. Within the sixty fifth minute, Mitoma hit the opposing goalkeeper’s nook and scored the primary. Gabriel Martinelli scored Arsenal’s fourth within the 71st minute and regarded to have arrange the duel once more after attacking the penalty space on Odegaard’s help.
Brighton once more diminished the deficit by means of Ferguson, recovering the ball after a partial cutback. Mitoma got here near scoring the third purpose within the 89th minute, however offside flagged through VAR gave Arsenal the ultimate respite.
On the most demanding second, Arsenal’s defence didn’t reside as much as expectations. Nonetheless, the end result must be extolled above all this late 2022, with supervisor Mikel Arteta closing out the yr seven factors above Pep Guardiola within the Premier League desk.
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