Right, that’s it from me. I’ll leave you with David Hytner’s match report on a day when two 3-0 away wins have all-but sealed the title for Manchester City. Cheerio!
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“We showed a good reaction,” Deniz Undav tells Sky Sports with just a hint of understatement following the 5-1 reverse last week. Goalkeeper Jason Steele adds that “mentality was key”. Roberto De Zerbi showed his players a video of Michael Jordan last night as motivation, reveals Undav.
For Brighton, European football for the first time now seems almost certain. What an achievement that would be not much more than a decade after leaving Withdean.
So Manchester City can officially clinch the title by beating Chelsea at the Etihad next Sunday. Indeed, it could be over before then if Arsenal lose at the City Ground against Nottingham Forest on Saturday evening.
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Full-time: Arsenal 0-3 Brighton
Peep! PEEP!! PEEEEEP!!! All over, at the Emirates and in the title race.
90+8 min: Brighton could grab another if they fancied but seem happy enough just to rotate the ball around. The end can’t come soon enough for Arsenal.
GOAL! Arsenal 0-3 Brighton (Estupinan 90+6)
Not unexpected this. Arsenal were broken by the second goal. Undav shoots from range, Ramsdale doesn’t do enough with his save and Estupinan bundles home the rebound. Brighton have been brilliant.
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90+4 min: Nketiah skitters down the right and into the box but Caicedo just gets enough on the ball to avoid giving away a penalty.
90+2 min: Mitoma strikes rather lazily at goal for Brighton but it won’t matter. Arsenal look done, understandably.
90 min: Eight minutes of added time to play.
89 min: The Emirates begins to empty, which is slightly dispiriting given what a ride this team has been on this season. City have just been relentless and though it has all unravelled in the last six weeks for Arteta’s side, they are still hugely deserving of praise. But to be fair, it’s a lovely evening in north London and it can be a nightmare getting on the tube at Finsbury Park.
88 min: It’s no less than Brighton deserve really, they’ve been undeniably the better side. The Seagulls are soaring up to sixth having played fewer games than those around them. Remarkable.
GOAL! Arsenal 0-2 Brighton (Undav 86)
It’s another! And the title is surely Manchester City’s! It’s another odd goal. Ramsdale plays out to Trossard, whose flick pings off the knee of Mac Allister (I think) and loops to Undav, on his own, on the edge of the box. He’s comfortably onside and calmly lobs the ball over Ramsdale for 2-0.
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84 min: …the ball is cleared then shovelled back in. Gabriel looks for a penalty under pressure from Caicedo but nothing doing.
83 min: Back under way and Nelson rumbles forward to win his side a corner …
81 min: Deniz Undav comes on to replace Enciso. The home crowd roar their disproval but it wasn’t really like Arsenal were building up a real head of steam. This delay might not be all that helpful, true, but the break might do the Gunners just as much good as their opponents.
80 min: Mac Allister gets up … Enciso goes down again.
79 min: As he recovers, Mac Allister goes down under a challenge from Nketiah. The home faithful aren’t happy but it was a high challenge from the forward.
78 min: The goalscorer Enciso goes down with what looks like cramp.
77 min: This is a real roll of the dice from Arteta: Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus off, Nketiah and Smith Rowe on. Buonanotte replaces Ferguson for Brighton.
76 min: Mac Allister almost flashes in an absolute screamer from distance as Welbeck chips a pass to the Argentinian. Just wide.
75 min: Brighton are almost playing with a front four – Enciso and Mitoma are so high in support of Welbeck and Ferguson. It’s giving them every chance on the break but also feels a tadge risky.
73 min: Jesus turns brilliantly past one, shimmies back inside past another … but Brighton get numbers back to smother the danger.
71 min: Chance! Odegaard slips in Trossard, who has scurried across the box under the radar. His effort is straight at Steele, however. Given the way these two are going at each other now, I’d be shocked if this ends 1-0.
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70 min: Mitoma again does wonderfully well on the Brighton left to leave White in his dust but he can’t do enough with his eventual pass. This is an utterly absorbing contest now.
68 min: Welbeck slaps a shot wide from distance after a neat one-two. Brighton still glimmering with threat on the break themselves.
66 min: Another Brighton mistake at the back – Mac Allister the guilty man this time –gives Arsenal a sniff but again they can’t take advantage. If they get their press right, though, there’s every chance of the Gunners making something of this.
64 min: Mikel Arteta goes into the referee’s Little Book Of Very Naughty Men after one too many tirades. The atmosphere, already lively, ramps up another notch.
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63 min: Nelson’s second act is rather more positive – he chops past Caicedo and zaps a low shot narrowly wide.
62 min: Welbeck’s first action is to win a free-kick. Nelson’s first action is to concede it.
60 min: Change afoot. Gilmour is replaced by former Arsenal man Danny Welbeck; Thomas Partey and Reiss Nelson replace Xhaka and Jorginho in the Gunners midfield.
59 min: Saka does brilliantly down the right but again his pullback meets a Brighton boot. He’s been the chief threat for the home side, though, and still looks their best chance of turning this around.
57 min: Mitoma shimmies into the area again and Brighton are looking rampant right now. Arsenal clear the danger but a regrouping is required.
55 min: Gross goes into the book for bundling into the rather hapless Jorginho, who has been on the end of a few today.
53 min: Replays show it’s probably a foul by Ferguson in the buildup – he appeared to tread on Kiwior’s ankle, which left the Polish youngster crouching down while Enciso nodded home. Could he have played on and cleared the danger before going down? Might VAR have suggested a look for the referee? Strange one but Arsenal now have a mountain to climb.
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GOAL! Arsenal 0-1 Brighton (Enciso 51)
Enciso nods in Estupinan’s cross after a brilliant overlap on the left and a fantastically timed Mitoma pass. The ball came back out to the Ecuadorian and, with Kiwior going down injured, it left Enciso free to nod home the bouncing cross. Weird game, weird goal.
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50 min: Brighton briefly have a three-on-three break but Enciso dillies and dallies and the chance evaporates.
48 min: Jesus takes a whack from Steele’s clearance. Like Odegaard earlier, he’s fine to continue.
46 min: Jesus sees his shot deflected away for an early corner but Saka can’t beat the first man with his set piece.
Peep! Off we go again. Arsenal have 45 minutes to keep the title race alive. Or “alive”.
The players re-emerge for the second half …
Half-time: Arsenal 0-0 Brighton
Peep! PEEP!! A very odd half of football comes to an end. It was fractious and all a bit frenetic. Brighton had the best of it, but Arsenal had the bulk of the chances. It’s nicely poised for an all-action second 45.
45+5 min: Saka drifts past Estupinan and pulls the ball back … but he can only find a Brighton defender.
45+3 min: Odegaard ghosts into the box with Brighton backing off again, but he drags his effort across goal.
45+2 min: Scramble! Saka’s corner causes consternation in the box, with Colwill doing well to deny Gabriel and then Saka himself slapping wide when well placed 12 yards out.
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45 min: As we enter the first of five added minutes, Arsenal load up the area after another Estupinan foul on the Brighton left. Trossard’s inswinger is nodded away for a corner …
43 min: Ferguson outmuscles White as a long ball bounces forward but he drags his shot wide. Arsenal are wobbling a bit here.
41 min: Another loose pass out from the back from Steele but again Arsenal can’t punish Brighton. Saka can’t quite turn the eventual cross goalwards. To be honest, a Brighton error has looked Arsenal’s most likely route to goal – the Gunners haven’t created a huge amount themselves.
39 min: Think it’s fair to say you wouldn’t really know who the title challengers are here and which team is 26 points back. That’s testament to how good Brighton have been in flashes but also tells you Arsenal haven’t quite been at it thus far.
37 min: Chance for Brighton, their best of the game. Mitoma skips past White very easily on the left and rolls the ball across goal. It finds Enciso at the far post but he’s leaning back and can only thunk his effort over the bar with the goal gaping.
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36 min: Gabriel hauls back Ferguson on halfway. No booking this time. Insert your own shrug emoji.
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35 min: … Xhaka manages to flick on at the near post but no one is following in at the back and Brighton breathe a sigh of relief.
34 min: Referee Madley finally finds his cards and shows Estupinan a yellow for a nothing challenge. Weird refereeing, frankly. But Arsenal have a dangerous free-kick on the right with Trossard will swing in …
32 min: Pass, pass, pass from Brighton. Passpasspasspasspass …
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31 min: Chance! Trossard skips inside from the left with Brighton backpeddling and fizzes a shot goalwards: it kisses the top of the bar with Steele beaten.
30 min: Gilmour’s turn to concede a free-kick. He chops down Jorginho.
29 min: Again Brighton go from back to front serenely, but again their attack falters as they enter the final third.
28 min: Gilmour wins a free-kick on halfway but the visitors can’t construct anything with it.
26 min: Brighton haven’t really fashioned much in terms of chances as yet but they’re managing to progress down the pitch pretty regularly. Arsenal have been punchier but with less control.
24 min: Jesus forces Steele into a smart save at his near post as the home side begin to get a proper foothold in the game and perhaps find a bit of rhythm.
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23 min: Saka looks to have picked Estupinan’s pocket on the touchline … and then curls an effort on to the post. The linesman flags to say the ball had gone out. On the replay, I’m really not sure that it did.
21 min: Saka is shoved off the ball on halfway by Estupinan. Jesus then fouls Ferguson in the centre circle. Jorginho then drops to the turf complaining of being fouled. It’s all been incredibly stop-start and surprisingly bad-tempered.
18 min: Martinelli sinks to the turf again and he’s done for the day. Leandro Trossard, the former Brighton man, replaces him.
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17 min: All a bit scrappy for a minute or two as the teams exchange possession.
15 min: Brighton send the heavy artillery up from the back for a free-kick … then play it short and end up floating in a not-particularly-threatening effort. Down at the other end, Odegaard zips a low shot just wide from distance. It’s been an eventful start here.
13 min: … it’s nodded clear.
12 min: Crikey! It’s Steele’s turn to take a risk at the back, with his pass out only just avoiding Jesus. Brighton go straight down the other end and Ramsdale has to be sharp to keep out Enciso’s effort at the near post. Brighton corner …
10 min: Martinelli hobbles away but looks to be OK to continue. It’s been a weird opening 10 minutes –stop-start with the physios on three times, a couple of wild challenges and two very shoddy bits of defensive work from Brighton. Fair to say the game hasn’t really settled down yet.
8 min: Caicedo, perhaps seeking retribution for his teammate, clatters into Martinelli from behind. Referee Andy Madley again slightly baffingly opts to keep his cards in his pocket.
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7 min: Dunk duffs a clearance and all of a sudden things open up for Arsenal. Odegaard looks to have an ideal shooting opportunity but opts to pass instead and the chance fizzles away.
6 min: Not entirely sure how Martinelli escaped a booking there – it was undeniably late, high and dangerous, if inadvertant.
5 min: … Martinelli looks to fire it in, but it’s headed away. As the ball breaks the same player challenges Mitoma for a high ball, with the Arsenal man absolutely clattering the Brighton man with his hip. It’s a horrible challenge but Mitoma is up fairly quickly thankfully.
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4 min: Gross sloppily plonks a pass from his goalkeeper out for a corner …
3 min: Mac Allister looks to release Caicedo down the Brighton right but he turns back inside and Albion opt to build from the back.
2 min: Odegaard seems fine to continue and is quickly back into the fray.
1 min: Martin Odegaard takes an early whack, Pervis Estupiñán’s attempted clearance crashing into his head from close range. He’ll need some treatment.
Peep! Off we go then!
On Sky’s commentary, Martin Tyler seems to be struggling a little with his voice. A bit croaky. But the Arsenal fans are in fine voice as kick off approaches.
Out they come into the hazy May sunshine. It was glorious an hour or so ago but a bit of light cloud has moved in. No rain expected until much later though.
The players are in the tunnel … Dunk and Odegaard ready to lead out their sides.
Across north London they’re into the final seconds at Wembley with Chelsea leading Manchester United 1-0 in the Women’s FA Cup final. Sarah Rendell has the latest:
The atmosphere is building at the Emirates …
It’s full time at Goodison: Everton 0-3 Manchester City. So Arsenal, realistically, need to win their final three games and hope City fail to win two of their last three. Hard to see that happening of course, but Arsenal will at least want to keep City honest.
The teams
Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Ramsdale; White, Kiwior, Gabriel, Tierney; Jorginho, Xhaka; Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli; Jesus. Subs: Turner, Holding, Walters, Partey, Vieira, Smith Rowe, Nelson, Trossard, Nketiah.
Brighton (4-2-3-1): Steele; Gross, Dunk, Colwill, Estupinan; Caicedo, Mac Allister; Mitoma, Gilmour, Enciso; Ferguson. Subs: McGill, Welbeck, Undav, Ayari, Van Hecke, Buonanotte, Offiah, Moran, Peupion.
So Kieran Tierney makes only his second Premier League start of 2023 for Arsenal. For Brighton Evan Ferguson is fit to start for the first time in five matches. He’s one of four changes for Albion from the Everton capitulation.
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It’s already got a bit tasty at the Emirates …
Roy Keane vs Patrick Vieira Round two! 😅👊 pic.twitter.com/59vh7vvYNU
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 14, 2023
Preamble
Forget the buildup to this one for a minute – all Arsenal eyes have been on Goodison Park this afternoon, where they’ve been desperate for a helping hand from Everton. It’s, um, not going well for them thus far.
But in a way the picture doesn’t really change – nothing but a win will do for Mikel Arteta’s side against a Brighton team, who, given results on Saturday, can take a huge step towards securing European football next season.
The Seagulls fell victim to the strangest result of bank holiday weekend last time out, getting hammered 5-1 by Everton at the Amex. That was their second home pasting of the season, with the other coming against today’s opponents in December when Arsenal ran out 4-2 winners on New Year’s Eve.
The Gunners were flying at that point and though their miserable April does look to have scuppered any hope of wresting the title from City, they have bounced back from the hammering they took at the Etihad with impressive wins against Chelsea and, in particular, away at Newcastle. Three more points will keep the title race alive for a week more at least.
Kick-off is at 4.30pm BST
