Arsenal fans feel Premier League title is within reach after winning ugly at Brighton

Brighton & Hove Albion (0) 0 v Arsenal (1) 1

Saka 9

By Kaz Mochlinski at the Amex Community Stadium

Premier League

Matchweek 29

Arsenal took an enormous step towards the Premier League title with a 1-0 victory at Brighton & Hove Albion, dismissing emotive accusations of winning ugly with a ruthless resolve to pick up three massively precious points.

Bukayo Saka scored the only goal of the game on his 300th appearance for the club, although it was hugely helped by a big deflection off Carlos Baleba and an embarrassing goalkeeping blunder by Bart Verbruggen.

The breakthrough came in the ninth minute from Arsenal’s first attempt on goal, and thereafter a superbly determined defensive display ensured that there would be no way back into the contest for Brighton.

Then, shortly after the final whistle, while walking over to the travelling fans in the South Stand to thank them for their unwavering support, Mikel Arteta found out that Manchester City had unexpectedly dropped points at home to Nottingham Forest.

City’s draw extended their deficit behind Arsenal at the top of the table to seven points, with the respective results being celebrated in the away end at Brighton like the championship had been won on a potentially decisive night in the title race.

The significance of Arsenal stretching ahead of City made the manner of achieving it into something trivial in comparison, as the Gunners’ ugliest performance of the season was extremely effective in withstanding the challenge that they faced against Albion.

“There was only one team who tried to play football today” complained bitterly the Brighton head coach, Fabian Hürzeler, returning to previous accusations about Arsenal time-wasting and using other dark arts, adding that “they make their own rules”.

Hürzeler shared his unhappiness with Arteta during the first half, and they had a heated exchange across the technical areas, resulting in the fourth official having to separate and calm them down. The German later expanded on his grievances.

“There are different kinds of winning. If they win the Premier League, no one will ask how they win the Premier League. I think you can really feel that they want do everything now to win this game. In the end it’s about the rules.

“So, if the Premier League, the referee, allow everything, then it’s difficult. Then they make their own rules. At the moment I have the feeling they are doing their own rules. No matter how they are playing. So, that’s why I think it’s difficult to judge that…

“I will never be that kind of manager who tries to win in that way. I want to develop players, I want my players to keep improving and keep playing football on the pitch. In the end, of course, every team will manage and waste time.

“But I think there has to be a limit. And the limit has to be set by the Premier League, the limit has to be set by the referees. At the moment they just can do what they want.”

Hürzeler revealed that he spoke at half-time to the referee, Chris Kavanagh, about Arsenal constantly delaying the play and effectively breaking up the rhythm that Albion were trying to establish, but says that he does not blame the powerless officials.

“I won’t complain about the referee because it’s really difficult for him. Like, do you want to send off the goalkeeper with two yellow cards for wasting time? This will never happen. So, what should he do?”

It was a theme that the Brighton boss could not get away from in his post-match media duties, linking several related arguments: “I ask one question: Did you see in a Premier League game a goalkeeper going down three times?”

“If I would ask now everyone here in the room did they really enjoy this football game I’m sure maybe one raises his arm because he’s a big Arsenal fan. But, beside that, no chance.”

“Where will this go? One game we play 60 minutes actual time. And then against Arsenal only 50 minutes. Then it’s 10 minutes difference. So is this what the supporters are paying for?”

“Let’s see how the last nine games are going. If the Premier League tries to intervene, tries to protect the referee, or if they just say ‘do what you want’.”

However, Hürzeler also acknowledged: “In the end, I think these kind of opponents you can only punish by winning against them.”

In response, Arteta was brief and succint, as he refused to hide his delight at the Gunners’ strengthened lead in the Premier League: “I love my players. We love our players. And I love the way that we compete.”

The Arsenal manager disclosed that some of his squad were struggling now to overcome exhaustion from their demanding schedule of fixtures this season, which, along with niggling injuries, was limiting their training between matches.

Although Declan Rice retained his place in the starting line-up after recovering from a thigh problem that forced him to be substituted against Chelsea at the weekend, William Saliba was ruled out of the visit to Brighton by an ankle injury.

Plus there was further defensive disruption to deal with in the second half when Cristhian Mosquera had to be taken off, necessitating Riccardo Calafiori to come on at left-back and Piero Hincapié to move across to play right centre-half.

No wonder Arteta afterwards was so thrilled with the result and utterly dismissive regarding criticism of his team’s far-from-beautiful performance: “It’s a huge win. We knew how tough it was going to be.

“We’re coming back from a very difficult game with a lot of intensity, with players really going through the line in every game, with difficulties, not able to train, and to come here and get the result that we got, I think it’s remarkable.”

Brighton and Hove Albion: (4-2-3-1) Verbruggen - Wieffer (Veltman 77), van Hecke, Boscagli, Kadıoğlu - Baleba (Ayari 77), Gross - Gómez (Howell 77), Hinshelwood (Welbeck 69), Mitoma (Minteh 46) - Rutter

Arsenal: (4-2-3-1) Raya - Timber, Mosquera (Calafiori 64), Gabriel Magalhães, Hincapié - Zubimendi (Nørgaard 79), Rice - Saka, Eze, Martinelli (Trossard 59) - Gyökeres (Havertz 59)

Attendance: 31,575