Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta stated he had by no means seen something like Brighton’s controversial penalty to earn a 1-1 draw on Saturday that dealt one other seismic blow to the Gunners’ Premier League title problem.
Runaway leaders Liverpool maintain a 5 level benefit over second-placed Arsenal and have two video games in hand to return, beginning with Sunday’s conflict towards struggling Manchester United at Anfield.
Shorn of a lot of their most potent attacking weapons, Arteta’s males led at half-time due to 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri’s strike.
However two very important factors slipped away when William Saliba was harshly punished for a conflict of heads with Joao Pedro and the Brazilian slotted house the ensuing spot-kick.
“We’re actually upset with the choice that results in the aim as a result of I’ve by no means seen one thing like this in my life,” stated Arteta. “He (Saliba) touches the ball as properly.”
With talisman Bukayo Saka out for the subsequent two months with a hamstring harm, Arsenal’s attacking choices had been additional depleted by sickness.
Kai Havertz did not even make the matchday squad for the second consecutive sport, whereas captain Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli had been solely match sufficient for appearances as second-half substitutes.
Nwaneri was the beneficiary with a second consecutive begin and confirmed why he is likely one of the Premier League’s rising stars with a medical end for the opening aim.
{The teenager} nonetheless had a lot to do as he raced onto Mikel Merino’s ball excessive however his tempo took him past the Brighton defence earlier than firing low into the far nook on 16 minutes.
However even he then needed to changed by Martinelli at half-time after struggling a muscle harm.
“We gave the ball away and we didn’t do the easy issues properly sufficient to be actually on high of the sport and have the dominance we required,” added Arteta.
“We did a number of issues to not the usual with the ball. So we did not get any momentum, we by no means bought set in areas that after we may generate possibilities.”
Arsenal lacked any penetration with out their quartet of attacking stars to construct on their lead.
Merino had the one large alternative to double the Gunners’ benefit early within the second interval when he skewed large from Declan Rice’s free-kick.
Moments later the guests had been rocked by a controversial name that might have large ramifications for the title race.
There was the slightest contact from Saliba’s head onto Joao Pedro’s however the Brighton ahead went down clutching his face and bought the reward of a spot-kick.
The Seagulls captain for the day, within the absence of Lewis Dunk, confidently stroked house the penalty to stage.
Arteta responded instantly by summoning Odegaard from the bench.
Nevertheless, it was Brighton who seemed the most certainly winners within the closing phases.
Yakuba Minteh wasted an amazing likelihood to finish their now eight-game winless run when his shot throughout aim evaded each Yasin Ayari and Kaoru Mitoma and slid large of the far publish.
“It needs to be greater than some extent,” stated Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler.
“We got here again however we weren’t clear sufficient within the last third. We had large possibilities.”
A degree is sufficient to edge Brighton again into tenth.
