Martin Odegaard’s first goal of the season helped us edge out Brighton 2-1 and move back to the top of the Premier League table.
Our skipper powered home from just outside the area before Georgino Rutter flicked into his own net to double our advantage from a Declan Rice set piece.
Brighton fought back through Diego Gomez on 64 minutes, and it took a stunning stop from David Raya to deny Yankuba Minteh and preserve three precious points.
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Highlights: Arsenal 2-1 Brighton & Hove Albion
Captain’s contribution
It took under two minutes for our first opportunity to arise as a ball over the top from Leandro Trossard found Viktor Gyokeres, who outmuscled returning Brighton captain Lewis Dunk, only to side-foot his effort straight at Bart Verbruggen.
The Seagulls stopper was kept a busy man in the opening exchanges, preventing Bukayo Saka from a tight angle after our winger had raced past Maxim De Cuyper.
We made our pressure tell after just 14 minutes with a fine finish from skipper Odegaard. The ball was played quickly out to Saka, who was able to find Odegaard in space on the edge of the box, and the Norwegian drilled his effort low, hard and beyond the Dutch stopper.
It was Martin’s first goal since netting our final goal of the 2024/25 campaign with another effort from range against Southampton.
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Odegaard on his goal and our team spirit
chances keep coming
There was no way out for the visitors as we continued to suffocate the Seagulls and look for more goals.
Balls over the top were causing Fabian Hurzeler’s side all sorts of problems, with Saka the main beneficiary, and the England international almost found Gyokeres with a low cross, but Jan Paul van Hecke was able to hook away.
Our number seven continued to be in the action, found well by Odegaard down the right, but his effort was blocked well by Lewis Dunk. We almost found the net just before half-time as Saka beat Georgino Rutter to the ball to put in a low cross, which evaded everyone.
Leandro Trossard then recycled the chance as the ball found its way to Mikel Merino, whose effort was superbly flicked goalwards by Martin Zubimendi, but Verbruggen was there once again.
It meant that we went in at half-time 1-0 up, having had 15 efforts at goal.
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Set piece again
Our visitors made two changes in a bid to get a foothold in the game, sending on attacker Yankuba Minteh and Mats Wieffer for Brajan Gruda and De Cuyper. The subs combined to help Brighton register their first effort at goal, but Yasin Ayari’s tame effort was easily snaffled by David Raya.
But we were able to double our lead shortly after the restart and it came from a familiar source. A quick move saw Trossard find Odegaard as his effort was deflected over for a corner.
From the resulting set piece, Declan Rice’s inswinging corner was flicked into his own net by Georgino Rutter.
We continued to flow forward, with two efforts in quick succession, first from Gyokeres, thundering his shot from a tight angle straight at Verbruggen, before Saka’s effort was deflected over the bar.
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Gallery: 44 photos from our success over Brighton
brighton lifeline
Despite the dominance, we were pegged back on 64 minutes through the returning Diego Gomez. Good play from Minteh found Rutter, who laid off to Yasin Ayari, whose effort hit the post but only fell into the path of the Paraguayan, and he smacked his effort into the top corner.
The Seagulls sensed an equaliser and fashioned another effort, but this time our defenders stood firm and blocked attempts from Ayari and Jack Hinshelwood.
The efforts prompted a change, with Gabriel Magalhaes returning after an injury sustained on international duty for Brazil in November.
Former Gunner Danny Welbeck came on, which gave the visitors a more focal point, and they almost found an equaliser, but for the brilliance of David Raya.
Rutter was able to flick into the path of Minteh, and his first-time effort was curling for the top left corner, but for the finger tip save from our Spanish goalkeeper on his 150th Premier League appearance.
As Brighton searched for an equaliser, the game opened up and we almost sealed the contest. Saka was able to get past Dunk and slide his low cross into Gabriel Martinelli’s path but he couldn’t keep his effort down from close range.
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Every word from Arteta’s post-Brighton presser
FACTS AND STATS
We have won nine of our last 10 Premier League home games (D1), including the last six in a row. It’s our longest winning home run since a run of 10 between April and December 2022.
Brighton remain winless in their last 11 Premier League games in December, drawing four and losing two in 2024/25 and drawing two and losing three so far this season.
Bukayo Saka had the most shots (7), most touches in the opposition box (16) and most dribbles attempted (5) of any player in this match, while only Martin Odegaard (5) created more chances (4).
No team have benefitted from more own goals than us (3) in the Premier League this season, while only Wolves (4) have conceded more than Brighton (3).`
Diego Gomez is Brighton’s top scorer in all competitions this season (8), with six of his eight goals coming away from home.
what’s next
It’s a quick turnaround from our clash against the Seagulls as we take on Aston Villa on Tuesday, December 30, back at Emirates Stadium to see out 2025. We then start 2026 with a trip to Bournemouth on Saturday, January 3, at 5.30pm GMT.
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