Brighton FC heaped the wretchedness on Arsenal with a hard-battled and merited 2-1 win at the Emirates Stadium, where boos rung out at full-time in interval caretaker Freddie Ljungberg’s first home game in control.
The guests had never recently won away at Arsenal yet they ruled the primary half and withstood an Arsenal attack after the break before Neal Maupay headed home the unequivocal goal on 80 minutes.
ALSO, SEE
Ole: Man Utd fans understand my philosophy
Mesut Ozil remaining at Arsenal until 2021
Scott McTominay is the new midfield enforcer in the PL
Alexandre Lacazette (50) had prior counterbalanced Adam Webster’s (36) opener with a peculiar flicked header from a corner yet Arsenal – who had a David Luiz strike appropriately precluded by VAR for offside at 1-1 – couldn’t discover another route through, with Mat Ryan making a fine stop late on to deny substitute Gabriel Martinelli.
Arsenal, who have now gone nine games without a success in all rivalries stay down in tenth spot in the Premier League and trail fourth-set Chelsea by 10 points. Brighton FC, in the interim, have pulled four clear of the assignment zone and are up to thirteenth.
Aaron Connolly nearly gained by a mistake between David Luiz and Bernd Leno inside 60 seconds and that set the pace for the initial 45 minutes.
While Arsenal infrequently undermined through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang down their correct flank, most of the principal half was happened in the hosts’ half, with Maupay effervescing a risky cross into the six-yard box which Connolly just neglected to reach before the Frenchman constrained Leno into a keen spare.
Brighton FC – a genuine danger from set-pieces – won five corners in the primary half and made the most of their predominance on 36 minutes when Webster responded speediest to the free ball in the crate and hammered home.
Armory reacted with Joe Willock testing Ryan with a decent header before Lacazette properly had his punishment offers dismissed when he went down under a test from Webster.
Arsenal brought record marking Nicolas Pepe on at half-time instead of Willock and their power was changed after the re-start. Inside five minutes they were level.
Pepe tested down the privilege and won a corner and Lacazette’s flick-on from Mesut Ozil’s set-piece sneaked in at the back post while Sead Kolasinac and Davy Propper struggled to turn it home. There was a VAR beware of Kolasinac’s test however after a cheeky hold up Arsenal’s equalizer was affirmed.
Brighton FC still got their opportunities, with Maupay simply neglecting to interface from short proximity on 61 minutes yet minutes after the fact David Luiz had a goal precluded for offside by VAR, when he was made a decision to have gone too early before clearing home from a free-kick.
The Gunners were on top and appeared to be set to proceed to win yet Brighton astonishingly rode the tempest and kept on causing their hosts issues.
Maupay – a persistent issue for Arsenal throughout the night – had a shot hindered by Sokratis on 79 minutes yet then just minutes after the fact had the ball in the rear of the net, destroying endlessly from David Luiz to head home Aaron Mooy’s middle.
As the Arsenal home fans started to vent their outrage, youngster Martinelli tried Ryan with a header and Pepe had a shot avoid wide yet Brighton saw out the match to guarantee a merited, important and notable three.
VISIT INTERLET LIMITED FOR QUALITY ICT SERVICES
Freddie Ljungberg rolled out three improvements to the group which drew 2-2 at Norwich, with Shkodran Mustafi leaving the squad totally, while Calum Chambers and Matteo Guendouzi dropped to the seat. In came Hector Bellerin, Sokratis and Lucas Torreira.
Brighton FC rolled out two improvements to change to a back three, with Steven Alzate and Neal Maupay coming in for Martin Montoya and Yves Bissouma.
