The title race in the Chief Association essentially concluded as Armory tumbled to Brighton and Hove Albion 3-0, on Sunday, May 14. Arsenal needed a win to maintain the pressure on Pep Guardiola’s team after Manchester City’s earlier victory over Everton. Due to Oleksandr Zinchenko’s season-ending injury, Mikel Arteta had to make a change at left-back, and Kieran Tierney took his place.
On the other hand, Brighton appeared to be wrapping up a great season. The Seagulls were hoping to acquire traction in the race for Europa Association capability. Teenage striker Evan Ferguson’s return was the most notable of the four adjustments made by manager Roberto de Zerbi.
As both teams committed fouls to contain each other’s attacks, the first half was tense. Moises Caicedo’s challenge on Gabriel Martinelli eventually forced the Brazilian to be replaced by Leandro Trossard, and he was fortunate to avoid getting yellow-carded. After his introduction, the former Brighton player nearly scored, but his shot deflected before hitting the crossbar.
Kaoru Mitoma danced past Ben White on the left early in the second half before releasing Pervis Estupinan, giving Brighton the lead. Julio Enciso scored from close range (51′) after the full-back had two chances to find him in the middle.
After that, Arsenal launched an attack to salvage the outcome. Substitute Reiss Nelson came nearest as the Heavy weapons specialists attempted to make great possibilities against a solid Brighton safeguard.
The tie was taken care of by substitute Denis Undaz in the 86th moment when he dinked the ball past Aaron Ramsdale to make it 2-0 to the Seagulls.
To add insult to Arsenal’s injury, Estupinan scored a second goal late in stoppage time (90+6′). The outcome implied that regardless of whether the Heavy weapons specialists beat Nottingham Woodland midweek, Manchester City will be delegated champions with a success over Chelsea next Saturday.
#1. In the first half, several dubious officiating occurred
During the first half of the game, the refereeing was subpar. Both sides used fouling as a last resort to avoid accumulation. Pervis Estupinan received just one yellow card during the whole 17-foul first half.
Martinelli was forced to leave the pitch after a horrible challenge from Caicedo that should have resulted in a booking. The hard foul on Kaoru Mitoma by the Brazilian should have resulted in a yellow card for him.
#2. Another masterpiece by Roberto de Zerbi
Since taking Graham Potter’s place, Roberto de Zerbi has dominated the Premier League. They have fared impressively despite losing their manager and several of the finest players from the previous season, including Marc Cucurella, Yves Bissouma, and Leandro Trossard.
De Zerbi has guided Brighton to some impressive performances since joining from Shakhtar Donetsk, including victories against Arsenal and a league double over Chelsea.
#3. Pervis Estupinan changed the game
The Ecuadorian left-back had difficult circumstances when paired with Bukayo Saka, but he played admirably anyway. Despite getting a yellow card in the middle of the first half, he did a good job of stopping Saka. He provided an easy header for Julio Enciso to score Brighton’s opening goal before scoring himself late in the match to complete an outstanding performance.
#4. Arsenal has paid a high price for William Saliba’s injury.
This season, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes established themselves as a dangerous center-back duo for Arsenal, which was a major factor in their championship challenge. Arsenal’s defense has not seemed the same since the Frenchman’s injury in the Europa League match against Sporting CP in March, though.
In the Premier League, their points per game have decreased from 2.44 with the defender to 1.88 without him, and they have also let up more goals per game.
#5. The championship race is almost over
Arsenal needed to defeat Brighton to stay in the running after Manchester City’s victory over Everton earlier today gave them a four-point advantage at the top. The Gunners, though, delivered a lackluster display.
If they defeat Chelsea the following week, the Citizens may clinch the championship with two games remaining. The majority of the season was spent at the top of the standings, therefore Arsenal supporters will feel as though they missed a huge chance to win a trophy.
Conclusion
Arsenal’s disappointing 0-3 defeat against Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League, which effectively ended their title race. The loss came as a blow to Arsenal’s aspirations of challenging Manchester City for the top spot, especially after City’s victory against Everton earlier in the day. The article highlights five key talking points from the match.
We pointed out some questionable officiating in the first half, with both teams resorting to fouling to disrupt their opponent’s attacks. The referee’s decisions were inconsistent, with only one yellow card awarded despite several fouls committed.
We praise Brighton’s manager, Roberto de Zerbi, for his impressive impact since taking over from Graham Potter. Despite losing key players from the previous season, Brighton has performed admirably under de Zerbi’s guidance, securing wins against top teams such as Arsenal and Chelsea.
The performance of Pervis Estupinan, Brighton’s left-back, is highlighted. Despite facing a challenging matchup against Bukayo Saka, Estupinan defended well and played a crucial role in Brighton’s victory. He provided an assist for Julio Enciso’s goal and also scored one himself late in the game.
The impact of William Saliba’s injury on Arsenal’s defensive stability. Saliba, alongside Gabriel Magalhaes, had formed a strong center-back partnership for Arsenal, but since Saliba’s injury, their defensive performance has suffered, resulting in a decline in points per game and an increase in goals conceded.
The defeat to Brighton has effectively ended Arsenal’s title hopes. Manchester City’s four-point lead, combined with Arsenal’s lackluster performance, means that City can secure the title with two games to spare by defeating Chelsea in their upcoming match. This represents a missed opportunity for Arsenal, who had spent a significant portion of the season at the top of the table.