Arsenal suffered another huge blow to their Premier League top-four hopes as they fell to a 2-1 defeat to Brighton at the Emirates.
After a heavy defeat to Crystal Palace in their last match, the Gunners really needed a response to get their Champions League ambitions back on track heading into the final few weeks of the season.
But it was another dreadful display from Mikel Arteta’s side, as Leandro Trossard and Enock Mwepu got on the scoresheet to put the Seagulls in control. Martin Odegaard’s deflected strike pulled one back late on, but there was to be no miraculous comeback.
It leaves Arsenal level on points with Tottenham, who play Aston Villa later on Saturday. Spurs will have played a game more after that match, though Arsenal’s game in hand is away to Chelsea.
Granit Xhaka was preferred at left-back for Arsenal over Nuno Tavares, leaving the Gunners without the Swiss international and Thomas Partey in midfield.
Brighton started much the better of the two sides, with Arsenal showing the kind of sluggish performance in possession that saw them turned over by Palace.
A brief moment of optimism in attack came when Gabriel headed Bukayo Saka’s cross into the side netting, but it was the Seagulls who took the lead shortly after.
Mwepu got on the end of a long ball forward, played a great cut-back into the path of Trossard who was completely free in the box and took full advantage to fire past Aaron Ramsdale.
The Gunners thought they had gone themselves level seconds before the break. A corner was swung in deep, Gabriel headed it back across the face of goal and Martinelli nodded home. However, after a four-minute VAR check, it was ruled out for offside.
Martinelli was moved to left-back in the second-half as Mikel Arteta pushed for an equaliser. Saka blazed a shot over the bar when it fell to him in plenty of space on the edge of the box.
There was little in the way of clear-cut chances for the Gunners though, and it got even worse for them midway through the half.
It was a lovely move from Brighton, with Marc Cucurella and Moises Caicedo combining brilliantly to set up Mwepu, who swept a stunning finish into the bottom corner.
Nicolas Pepe was denied by Lewis Dunk and Albert Sambi Lokonga fired a shot just wide from distance, before Odegaard and Eddie Nketiah both hit the bar in a matter of seconds in a chaotic passage of play.
Odegaard gave his side hope of late drama, when his shot from miles out flicked off Danny Welbeck and looped beyond Robert Sanchez. The board then went up for six minutes of added-time as the Emirates crowd roared their side on.
Sanchez produced a stunning save to deny Nketiah but Brighton held on, leaving Arsenal to ponder why it took them nearly 90 minutes to really pile the pressure on.
