Arsenal floor out a 1-0 win over Brighton to capitalise on Manchester Metropolis’s slip-up towards Nottingham Forest and transfer seven factors clear on the prime of the Premier League.
As their title rivals have been held to a 2-2 draw on the Etihad Stadium, Bukayo Saka’s deflected, ninth-minute strike proved decisive for the Gunners in a scrappy, fractious encounter on the south coast.
Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler mentioned “only one side tried to play football” after the sport as he accused Arsenal of time-wasting ways involving David Raya, who acquired therapy on three events.
“What a surprise,” responded Mikel Arteta.
Saka’s purpose, which squirmed previous Bart Verbruggen after taking a spark off Carlos Baleba, got here from one in all solely two photographs on the right track by Arsenal, who laboured in possession however excelled defensively.
Brighton dominated a lot of the recreation, registering 60 per cent of the possession, however Arsenal, led by defenders Gabriel and Piero Hincapie, and with out the injured William Saliba, couldn’t be breached.
Declan Rice clears the ball throughout the win over Brighton
Brighton’s greatest probability got here after solely two minutes, when David Raya despatched a move straight to Baleba, whose tried chip needed to be cleared off the road by Gabriel.
The hosts pinned Arsenal in their very own half for lengthy durations, however solely mustered an extra two photographs on the right track, with Raya saving nicely from Georginio Rutter as the house followers grew to become more and more pissed off by the perceived time-wasting from the guests.
Arsenal had an opportunity to place the sport past Brighton when substitute Kai Havertz had a diagonal effort saved by Verbruggen, however their slender lead meant they needed to survive a nervy finale.
The ultimate whistle, and information of Manchester Metropolis’s draw with Forest, prompted wild celebrations from the travelling followers as Arsenal opened up a seven-point hole, albeit having performed a recreation extra.
Hurzeler: Just one group tried to play soccer
Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler slammed Arsenal’s method in an explosive press convention, saying: “We could have even created more chances, but overall, like you said, in the end we lost, so we are all disappointed regarding the performance.
“I really like the trouble from my boys, I cherished how they performed soccer. I feel there was just one group who tried to play soccer as we speak and subsequently I am pleased with how they did it.
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Brighton head coach Fabian Hurzeler launched an assault on Arsenal’s ‘time-wasting’ ways
“I ask one question, did you see in the Premier League game a goalkeeper going down three times? No? So I think we shouldn’t waste too many words about that tonight.
“We should always concentrate on us, we must always concentrate on our efficiency. We won’t management these type of issues.
“I think therefore the Premier League has to find the rule and it’s not my business. I made my point before the game and I stick to it.”
Arteta: I really like my gamers
Arsenal supervisor Mikel Arteta supplied solely brief responses to his reverse quantity’s criticism, saying: “What a surprise.”
Requested if he may increase on that remark, he mentioned: “You just go back to the previous games and you’ll find a lot of comments like this always.
“I really like my gamers. That is the spotlight. I really like my gamers, we love our gamers and I really like the best way we compete.”
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Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta reacts to Fabian Hurzeler’s feedback
Requested if he cared in regards to the feedback of different managers, he mentioned: “Care? Yeah. Depends.” Will depend on the supervisor? “Yeah, and the comments. And the purpose of that.
“Clearly, if you find yourself within the place that we’re in, they wish to take that away from you. That is regular, that is sport.
“We need to take that with normality and we need to confront it in the right way.”
Evaluation: Justified complaints or deflection tactic?
Hurzeler’s feedback will dominate the fallout from the sport. He had made a degree of elevating the time-wasting subject in his pre-match press convention so it was no shock to listen to him return to the topic after a fractious night which resulted in defeat for his aspect.
His frustration was justified, at the least to some extent. Having taken an early lead, Arsenal have been clearly wanting to disrupt the stream of the sport, scary the ire of the house followers in addition to the supervisor, who spent a lot of the night time remonstrating with the fourth official.
Jurrien Timber and Ferdi Kadioglu battle for the ball
This was an unsightly recreation. Its stop-start nature actually suited the guests higher than Brighton. However, towards an Arsenal aspect clearly out of types, Hurzeler may additionally take a look at his personal aspect’s shortcomings. That they had greater than sufficient possession to harm Arsenal however could not.
Their 11 photographs have been value simply 0.8 anticipated targets, in response to Opta, and for all their dominance of the ball and of territory, it was telling that Raya did not have a save to make after the 63rd minute, when Mats Wieffer headed straight at him.
Hurzeler has succeeded in shaping the narrative within the wake of this recreation. However his complaints ought to be of little concern to the Arsenal followers who sang ‘we will win the league’ within the away finish. This ugly victory was one to savour for them.
Opta stats: Fortunate Arsenal?
- This was Arsenal’s tenth Premier League victory by a one-goal margin this season, which is their most after 30 video games of a league marketing campaign since 2011/12 (10).
- Solely in 2003/04 have they ever had extra one-goal victories at this stage of a Premier League season (12).
- Arsenal had simply seven photographs towards Brighton, solely having fewer in a recreation this season towards Chelsea (5 in February within the League Cup).
- Certainly, the Gunners’ xG complete tonight of 0.43 was their outright lowest in a recreation throughout all competitions in 2025/26.
- Arsenal accomplished simply 70.9 per cent of their passes towards Brighton tonight; their lowest completion charge in a Premier League match since August 2021 vs Manchester Metropolis (67.6 per cent).
