Arsenal can celebrate the New Year in style as win expands gap over City

Arsenal beat Brighton & Hove Albion 4-2 on Saturday as goals from Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Martinelli sent the Gunners seven points clear at the top of the Premier League.

Saka scored the opening goal after just 66 seconds before Odegaard doubled the visitors’ lead six-minutes in the 39th minute on a rainswept night at Amex Stadium.

Nketiah poked home a third just after the restart before Kaoru Mitoma briefly raised Brighton’s hopes 18 minutes later, only for Martinelli to strike in the 71st minute.

Substitute Evan Ferguson, 18, scored his first league goal with 13 minutes remaining and Mitoma thought he had brought Brighton to within a one-goal deficit but his 89th-minute effort was ruled out on VAR review for offside and Mikel Arteta’s side held on for a deserved victory.

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Rapid reaction

1. Arsenal seize on City, Newcastle misses to extend Premier League lead

The Gunners already knew they would end 2022 at the top of the Premier League but results earlier on Saturday made this an unexpected golden opportunity to extend their advantage.

Manchester City‘s surprise 1-1 draw at home to Everton combined with Newcastle United being held 0-0 by Leeds United meant a seven-point lead was the prize for victory on the south coast. It was another test of their resolve in the pressurised environment of a title race, against a gifted Brighton side, (albeit bereft of World Cup winning playmaker Alexis Mac Allister) who had already thrashed Chelsea at home and won away at Manchester United this season.

Yet rather than be inhibited by the raised stakes, they excelled and grasped the chance presented to them with both hands. From the moment Saka gave Arsenal a second-minute lead, the Gunners played with a mixture of authority and composure for long periods before surviving a late Brighton rally in a manner which bodes well for the challenges ahead.

They were happy to concede possession (they had just 32% of the ball) and stay compact to pick their opponents off on the break, demonstrating a versatility which will please manager Mikel Arteta.

No side has ever been seven points (or more) clear on New Year’s Day and not won the Premier League. This particular season is skewed in that context given the mid-season World Cup means fewer games have been played to this point but nevertheless, the Gunners are in an extremely exciting position.