In a season defined by resilience and adaptation, Arsenal once again demonstrated their championship mettle with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday. The win, Arsenal’s third in succession, propelled them back to the summit of the Premier League, two points clear of Manchester City, who had briefly taken top spot hours earlier.
On an afternoon where defensive crises mounted by the minute, the Gunners showcased their spirit, surviving a late scare to secure a vital three points that keeps them firmly in a title race that shows no sign of abating.
The narrative of Arsenal’s campaign has been heavily punctuated by injuries, and this penultimate fixture of 2025 was no exception. The disruption began before a ball was even kicked. With regular defenders Jurriën Timber, Ben White, and Cristhian Mosquera already absent, manager Mikel Arteta’s plans were thrown into further disarray when Italian left-back Riccardo Calafiori sustained an injury during the warm-up.
This last-minute crisis forced a significant reshuffle, with 18-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly drafted into the starting lineup and the versatile Declan Rice asked to fill an unfamiliar role at right-back. Arteta later revealed that he had only spoken to Rice about the possibility 48 hours prior, with the England international immediately accepting the challenge. This adaptability would become a central theme of the match.
Despite the defensive upheaval, Arsenal began with ferocious intensity, determined to respond to City’s earlier victory. They suffocated Brighton from the opening whistle, creating a flurry of early chances. Within two minutes, Viktor Gyokeres was through on goal, only to side-foot straight at Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen.
Bukayo Saka, who terrorised Brighton’s left flank all afternoon, was next to test Verbruggen after ghosting past Maxim De Cuyper. The relentless pressure told in the 14th minute.
After a Brighton goal kick was intercepted, the ball found its way to Saka on the right. He cut inside and slid a pass to captain Martin Ødegaard, who was afforded space on the edge of the box. The Norwegian took a touch to set himself before drilling a low, left-footed strike that nestled into the bottom corner for his first goal of the season.
It was a finish of trademark precision from a player whose campaign has been disrupted by injury, offering a timely reminder of his quality.
The first half was a story of complete dominance, with Arsenal racking up 15 attempts on goal while preventing Brighton from registering a single shot. Saka was irrepressible, repeatedly getting the better of De Cuyper and Lewis Dunk, with his direct running and clever movement creating constant danger.
The only frustration for the rampant hosts was their inability to extend the lead before the break, with Verbruggen making a superb save to deny Martin Zubimendi’s clever flick and Leandro Trossard blazing over from a promising position.
The second goal, when it arrived seven minutes after the restart, came from a now-familiar source for Arsenal: an opposition own goal. Declan Rice, showcasing his value even from an unfamiliar defensive berth, whipped a dangerous, inswinging corner towards the near post.
Brighton’s Georginio Rutter, under pressure, could only flick his header past his own goalkeeper, Verbruggen, doubling Arsenal’s advantage. Remarkably, it was the fourth own goal Arsenal have benefitted from in their last three home games, a curious statistic that underscores both their set-piece threat and a recurring fortune in the final third.
With a 2-0 lead and total control, the game appeared to be heading for a comfortable conclusion. Yet, as Arsenal have discovered repeatedly this season, nothing in the Premier League is straightforward. Against the run of play, Brighton found a lifeline in the 64th minute.
A driving run and shot from substitute Yankuba Minteh was parried by David Raya onto the post, and the rebound fell perfectly for Diego Gomez to smash into the roof of the net. The goal, completely against the flow of the match, transformed the atmosphere inside the Emirates. Nervousness replaced certainty, and Brighton, sensing an unexpected opportunity, grew in belief.
The pivotal moment that preserved Arsenal’s lead arrived in the 77th minute. As Brighton pressed for an equaliser, Rutter flicked a clever pass into the path of Minteh, whose first-time, curling effort was destined for the top corner.
In a flash, David Raya launched himself across his goal, stretching every sinew to get the faintest of fingertips on the ball and divert it over the bar. It was a save of breathtaking quality and immense importance. Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson labelled it “off the charts” and suggested that if Arsenal go on to win the title, that moment would be remembered as a pivotal turning point. Raya, on his 150th Premier League appearance, had produced a match-winning intervention.
The final stages were tense, with Arteta turning to his bench to shore up the defence, welcoming back Gabriel Magalhães for his first appearance since November. Arsenal still had chances to kill the game, most notably when substitute Gabriel Martinelli skewed Saka’s low cross over the bar from six yards out.
However, they showed the necessary game management to see out the victory, a quality that has been forged through repeated tests this season. After the final whistle, a relieved Ødegaard encapsulated the mood, stating, “It was a tough one in the end… They got the momentum when they got the goal, got belief back, but we did well to defend. You have to be able to win in different ways”.
Manager Mikel Arteta cut a figure of both satisfaction and slight frustration in his post-match comments. He was unequivocal in his praise for the performance, saying he was “very happy… individually and collectively, so dominant”.
However, he also highlighted the team’s recurring issue of failing to convert dominance into a more secure scoreline. “The margin should have been much bigger,” Arteta asserted. “With the amount of situations, chances, open chances that we generated through the game, it should never be 2-1”. He saved his highest praise for the collective spirit, noting how the team deals with incessant problems. “What I like is that we’re having a lot of issues and we’re dealing with it in an incredible way,” he said, specifically highlighting Rice’s seamless adjustment to right-back.