Arsenal’s title hopes stalled in 1-1 draw at Brighton

Arsenal's bid to close the gap on Premier League leaders Liverpool suffered a setback on Saturday, as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Brighton & Hove Albion in their first match of 2025. The result means the Gunners are now 11 points behind Liverpool, leaving them with more work to do if they are to stay in the title race.

Early promise for Arsenal

The evening began positively for Arsenal. After a cautious opening 15 minutes, they took the lead in the 17th minute. Ethan Nwaneri, stepping in for the injured Bukayo Saka, made a fine solo effort to evade his marker before slotting the ball past Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen. However, Verbruggen's positioning on the goal was questionable, and Arsenal will likely feel it was a goal that could have been avoided by the goalkeeper.

Brighton’s response

Brighton responded well to going behind. Arsenal's defense was put to the test, and it was Jan Paul van Hecke who prevented an even worse situation for the hosts, clearing a dangerous cross from Leandro Trossard. The Belgian winger was met with boos from the AMEX Stadium crowd, still upset by his recent move from Brighton to Arsenal. Despite this, Arsenal’s defense stood firm, with Brighton's best chance of an equalizer falling to Simon Adingra, whose effort was just off-target after being pressured by Arsenal defenders.

Brighton equalizes through controversial penalty

Arsenal went into halftime with a slim 1-0 lead, but the second half quickly became more intense. Brighton were awarded a controversial penalty after a challenge from William Saliba on João Pedro. While many felt Saliba’s challenge was fairly innocuous, the referee pointed to the spot, and João Pedro made no mistake, converting the penalty to bring the score to 1-1.

Arteta’s efforts to change the game

With the match now level, Mikel Arteta turned to his bench, calling on captain Martin Ødegaard to warm up, hoping the Norwegian playmaker could provide the spark Arsenal needed. Ødegaard's creative spark had the potential to break the deadlock, but the best chance came at the other end of the pitch.

Brighton’s near miss

Brighton had their own chance to take the lead late in the game, with a well-worked move that resembled a beautiful Ajax-Feyenoord-style combination. Joël Veltman’s assist to Yankuba Minteh set up a great opportunity for Brighton to go ahead, but Minteh’s finish was just wide of the post, much to the relief of Arsenal.

Final whistle and missed opportunity for Arsenal

With no further goals, the game ended in a 1-1 draw, leaving Arsenal frustrated. The Gunners were unable to capitalize on their early lead, and despite a solid overall performance, couldn’t find a way to break Brighton’s defense after the equalizer. Arteta will be disappointed with the result, as it was a chance to close the gap on Liverpool, which Arsenal couldn’t take advantage of. Arsenal will now turn their focus to their next fixture, where they will need to secure a win to keep their title hopes alive. Meanwhile, Brighton will take pride in earning a point against one of the Premier League’s top teams, as they continue their strong campaign under Roberto De Zerbi.