Arsenal raise the stakes at the top after holding their nerve to edge past Seagulls

Gunners v Seagulls by @JTaylorSport

Arsenal 2 Brighton & Hove Albion 1

Engulfed with relief, the outstretched arms of Declan Rice at the end of this latest battle of nerve said it all.

Apart from the occasional moment, there were few festive frolics on show at the Emirates as Arsenal dug out a 2-1 win over Brighton to force themselves back to the top of the Premier League table.

The Gunners made heavy weather of managing the game at times after they went a couple of goals ahead, and on another day points may have been dropped. Mikel Arteta accentuated the positive in the aftermath, yet privately the Arsenal manager must know his men need to improve from positions of advantage,

A captain’s strike from Martin Odegaard and an own goal from luckless Seagull Georginio Rutter had the hosts in relative control. Nevertheless, a reply from Yasin Ayari and a world class save from David Raya to deny Yankuba Minteh in the second half had home fans a little unnerved. Arteta’s claim that this is symptomatic of a “willingness to win” is understandable, yet at the same time, fails to convince.

That fraying of mood is understandable, given how Manchester City had temporarily taken over the summit earlier in the day with a hard-fought triumph at Nottingham Forest. But title talk, if far too premature, depends on fortuitous games like this. Regardless, the win over the Fabian Hurzeler’s outfit is vital, with a crunch meeting coming up at home against third-placed Aston Villa on Tuesday to close out the calendar year.

Improvements

Curiously, with the likes of Ebere Eze, an unused substitute, there was evidence of some craft which could have been utilised late on when the Gunners were crying out for a splash of something extraordinary. Naturally, Arteta will identify improvements needed, but his team now a couple of points above City still represents a satisfactory afternoon under late winter sun in north London.

“I am very happy with the performance individually and collectively”, said an optimistic Arteta. “We were very dominant and the margin of victory should have been much greater.

“We have survived six months (with injuries). Overall it was a very good performance against a good side. I like the way our players took initiative and showed aggression against a team that is very hard to play against.

“We need more players back and things we can improve”.

For long spells in the second half the Gunners were lethargic and lacked the zip of earlier - and Brighton exposed it with a goal to make events more interesting in the final half an hour.

Saka apart, for spells the north London outfit played like a side slightly frayed around the edges, hoping to maintain a slender advantage, which was hardly helped by substitute Gabriel Martinelli’s profligacy when in prized positions late on.

Sensing some danger, Arsenal did revive in the last fifteen minutes or so and at least stopped Brighton from foraging for what would have been a sensational leveller.

Knowing that City had climbed to the top before kick off, Arteta had to draft in Myles Lewis-Skelly at left back at the last moment due to an injury to Riccardo Calafiori in the warm up. And Arsenal did enjoy first half dominance, controlling the tempo. The Seagulls appeared inhibited, especially after Odegaard broke their early resistance with a sublime, low left foot shot in the 14th minute. A trademark effort.

Combinations

There were, furthermore, neat combinations along the right between Rice and Saka, while on the other wing, Leandro Trossard was the subject of barracking from Brighton fans who once revered him.

In first half injury time, a yellow card was issued to Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen who raced out of the penalty area to unceremoniously chop down Odegaard, much to the displeasure of the Gunners fans.

After the restart, the hosts doubled their lead in the 52nd minute. Rice flighted in a corner from the left and, standing at the near post Rutter somehow managed to glance the ball past Verbruggen. It was a timely intervention as the Seagulls had looked more assertive following the restart.

Thereafter Brighton had little to lose going forward and they pulled a goal back in 63 minutes.

Gomez fired in from a primed and inviting position, when Yasin Ayari had time to turn and rifle a right foot shot off the base of the post. Ayari’s role and quick thinking was enough to punish a couple of seconds of Arsenal rear guard complacency.

Brighton chief Hurzeler then despatched Danny Welbeck into the action for Jack Hinshelwood in the 73^rd minute, doubtless in the hope the swashbuckling, veteran ex-Gunner still had a dramatic moment in store at a former home.

Yet it was Welbeck’s fellow forward, Minteh, who was dramatically denied a couple of minutes later. Raya’s save was textbook and spectacular, the Arsenal goalkeeper tipping over a fine, left footed, curling effort.

The north Londoners at least mined a little more resource. Martinelli and Saka had nibbles to make matters less anxious. Still, the three points maintains the Arsenal momentum in a season where it is widely regarded as one in which Arteta has to deliver a title for the first time since 2004.

“It is a challenge but we are up for it”, said the Arsenal boss. The Gunners will need to be when their former manager, Unai Emery, brings his vibrant Villa to the capital shortly.

Gunners: Raya, Rice, Saliba, Hincapie, Lewis-Skelly (Gabriel 70), Merino, Zubamendi, Odegaard, Saka, Gyokeres (Jesus 70), Trossard (Martinelli 82)