Match Report – Match Highlights – Post-Match Press Conference
Final Result: Brighton 0-3 Arsenal (Saka 33′, Havertz 62′, Trossard 86′)
Arsenal XI (4-3-3): Raya; Zinchenko (Tomiyasu 72?), Saliba, Gabriel, White; Rice, Jorginho (Jesus 70?), Odegaard (Vieira 89?); Jesus (Trossard 64?), Saka (Martinelli 64′), Havertz (Nketiah 89′)
Following the midweek win over Luton Town, Mikel Arteta brought back the players that rested with the likes of Declan Rice, Gabriel Jesus, Jorginho and most importantly, Bukayo Saka, returning to the fray. Saka was subject to speculation, with suspicions that he aggravated a knock in the Manchester City draw, and was odds on to potentially miss the game against Brighton, but with Saka being Saka, I took such reports with a pinch of salt.
Brighton started better, launching a swift attack that saw Tariq Lamptey on the heart of the play but the end product was found wanting with Julio Enciso rifling his shot over the bar. Arsenal responded back with a fluffy of attacks, starting with Saka making mince meat of Pervis Estupinan before curling an effort that went off the mark. Jorginho sent one of his routine top-notch pass to Kai Havertz’s path who sighted Gabriel Jesus on the far post. The German schemer dinked a perfect cross to Jesus but his header missed the target. Prior to that missed header, Saka had laid a carefully-threaded ball to Jesus on the edge of the area and his goal-bound shot that was saved superbly by Bert Verbruggen.
Jesus played a role in the match opener when he dribbled past Lamptey and was scythed down in the box by the Ghanaian fullback. Saka stepped for Arsenal’s ninth penalty of the Premier League campaign, his fifth, and sent the Brighton goalie the wrong way to hand the away side a well-deserved lead. Brighton responded with Enciso showing some good foot work before curling a shot that was destined to hit the top corner but Raya was on hand to make a very good save.
The second half was dominated by Arsenal with Jesus and Martin Odegaard having some good chances. However, the away side doubled their advantage when Enciso’s poor pass was intercepted by Odegaard, that threaded a neat ball for Jorginho. The Italian midfielder progressed the ball to the byline and found Havertz on the near post, whose one time finish after getting in front of Jan Paul van Hecke beat Verbruggen.
Brighton responded with some attacking substitutions, bringing on Joao Pedro and Facundo Buonanotte, while Arteta went for freshness on the wings, with Gabriel Martinelli and former Brighton boy, Leandro Trossard, coming in for a ragged Jesus and an unfit Saka.
Trossard wasted no time in imposing his will on the game, blasting a shot from quite some distance that skidded along the rainy surface but was saved by Verbruggen. There was no denying Trossard his glorious moment when Havertz sent him clean on goal, and the Belgian midfielder waited for Verbruggen to commit before dinking the ball over him.
This convincing victory sent the Gunners back to pole position in the Premier League, with everyone connected with Arsenal putting half an eye on the Manchester United vs Liverpool game, to see how things pan out. It was a dominant performance for the Gunners from start to finish.
Sayonara.
Follow Gooner Daily on Twitter @goonerdaily.
Visit Gooner Daily’s Facebook page.
Click on the “Follow button” to join Gooner Daily’s Mailing List
