by Zero thing for Arsenal: it has a ring to it. But if Arsenal’s chants were away at Brighton back in the nineties, Mikel Arteta has now built a defense to match the days of Dixon, Bould, Adams and Winterburn. As the Gunners returned to the top of the Premier League table, they did so while keeping five consecutive away clean sheets for the first time since 1997.
You could see why, as Gabriel Magalhaes threw himself to block Joao Pedro’s shot in stoppage time. Arsenal were 3-0 up and cruising but Gabriel celebrated as if the Gunners had won.
It is that defensive intensity that is adding to Arsenal’s challenge. There was inevitability for Arsenal when Gabriel Jesus fell over Tariq Lamptey’s kick in the box and Bukayo Saka rose to give the visitors the lead from the penalty spot. Kai Havertz doubled Arsenal’s advantage after the break, easing the tension of an evening that had started with the Gunners suddenly losing their way in front of goal, before Leandro Trossard grabbed the third on his return the south coast. This was another big win for Arsenal’s goal difference.
But if the attack has Arteta’s side back in the title race, it is the defense that is keeping them there. The foundation of Arteta’s challengers is just as strong, with the partnership of William Saliba and Gabriel ensuring they became the first away team to beat Brighton with ease since September. David Raya made his impressive contribution to Arsenal’s run of clean sheets when he headed home Julio Enciso’s curling strike before half-time.
And while Liverpool and Manchester City have been forced to come from behind in the title race this week, Arsenal continue to lead. Arteta’s side have not conceded a single minute of their 11 Premier League games since the start of the year.
It is a further boost for Arsenal that they can go on to win their first title in 20 years. They need to be close to perfect on the road to stop Liverpool and City, with trips to Wolves, Tottenham and Manchester United still to come. But it can be argued that they came through the worst of it, in a very convincing style. After keeping the first clean sheet at the Etihad, Arsenal managed to shut out Roberto De Zerbi’s men for the second time this season. They again made light work of the Brighton side who scored in 33 consecutive top-flight games before arriving at the Emirates back in December. Brighton have now failed to score in seven of their last 14 games, two of which came against Arsenal.
It meant the first goal of the game felt so crucial, and it was why Brighton felt so unhappy with the penalty decision after 33 minutes. Both teams were playing on a knife edge: Arsenal missed four big chances in the opening 15 minutes, while Brighton also started well. Slick play drew Arsenal open more than once, drawing Arteta’s side into the press before cutting through midfield. It created a tension around Arsenal that hasn’t been there since the start of the year, including last week’s trip to City.
Chances were not as clear cut as Arsenal’s but the threat was clear and the visitors felt punished after Arsenal lost early on. At the heart of the game was Lamptey, partnering Simon Adingra to target Oleksandr Zinchenko down Brighton’s right. It was where Brighton’s early sights came from, with Enciso firing over from the edge of the box after a quick break.
But Arsenal found their source in the opposite direction. Jesus, now very much a winger with Havertz continuing to lead the line so impressively, found possession all over the world before going past Lamptey on the edge of the penalty area. The Brazilian turned inside Lamptey, who cut part of the ball but caught more of Jesus as he dived in and slid his feet. Referee John Brooks called attention to the spot and Saka turned past Bart Verbruggen to make it five penalties out of five this season.
Enciso offered a reminder of the magic Brighton had lost in his injury absence when he forced Raya into a superb diving save before half-time. It was a mirror image of Galeno’s last-minute winner for Porto in the Champions League last month, although this time Raya changed his position in time to palm away Enciso’s curling strike from 25 yards.
In front of Raya, Gabriel and Saliba were again superb, reading the play as Brighton threatened further counter-attacks, holding firm as Arsenal defended a set piece at the start of the second half. And once Arsenal recovered and regained control, they finished the game by doubling the lead. Jorginho leapt into action to cut out a loose pass from Enciso and continued his run to reach the byline. In the middle was Havertz, who found a way to capitalize for his ninth of the campaign. A poaching finish was a fitting way to celebrate the German’s best scoring season in England so far.
Arsenal’s defensive record, however, set the stage for this cruise to victory, with Brighton barely creating a chance after falling behind. Instead, Arteta’s side threatened to run rampant. Trossard added Arsenal’s third to take their goal difference to nine clear of Liverpool, 11 ahead of City. That may be crucial before the end of the season, but Arsenal have impressed thanks to both ends of the pitch.
