"Arsenal returned to the top of the Premier League with a 2-1 win over Brighton, which once again highlighted the fine margins the Gunners are currently operating within. Mikel Arteta's side deserved this victory, and now they sit two points clear of Manchester City. This is despite Arsenal continuing to battle a varied list of fitness problems, the latest of which was Jurriën Timber's enforced absence before kick-off and the last-minute loss of Riccardo Calafiori to injury in the warm-up."
"Martin Odegaard had earlier opened the scoring with a crisp 20-yard drive that you would call his trademark had it not been his first goal since May 25. They ended the first half with 15 shots to Brighton's zero. And yet, even at 2-0 up, out of calm came chaos. Yasin Ayari hit the post, Diego Gómez converted the rebound and suddenly Brighton had belief. For a few minutes at least, Arsenal, essentially, froze."
"Everybody except goalkeeper David Raya, that is. Yankuba Minteh lined up a curling shot hit with ferocious pace yet Raya arched his body and got the fingertips of his right hand to tip the ball over the crossbar. The tension increased. Gabriel Magalhães came on for his first appearance since Nov. 8 but Arsenal only stabilised a little. Substitute Gabriel Martinelli wasted a glorious chance to win the game when blazing over Bukayo Saka"
Arsenal beat Brighton 2-1 to return to the top of the Premier League, sitting two points clear of Manchester City. Martin Odegaard opened the scoring with a crisp 20-yard drive, his first goal since May 25. Georginio Rutter headed Declan Rice's 52nd-minute corner into his own net to make it 2-0. Jurriën Timber was absent before kick-off and Riccardo Calafiori withdrew injured in the warm-up, forcing Rice to play as makeshift right-back and Myles Lewis-Skelly to start on the opposite flank. Brighton reduced the deficit after Yasin Ayari hit the post and Diego Gómez converted the rebound. David Raya produced a fingertip save from Yankuba Minteh to preserve the win. Gabriel Magalhães returned from injury and Gabriel Martinelli missed a clear chance.
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