Arsenal returned to the top of the Premier League table with a 3-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium.
Bukayo Saka’s penalty and Kai Havertz’s close-range finish put the Gunners, who had seen Manchester City join Liverpool at the top of the table with a 4-2 win over Crystal Palace earlier on Saturday, in control of south coast.
An emphatic victory was secured when, on his first return to the Amex, former Brighton favorite Leandro Trossard slotted home late.
While Arsenal will be hoping that Manchester United will do them a favor by beating Liverpool at Old Trafford on Sunday, Brighton now sit in 10th place with their hopes of European qualification hanging in the balance.
How did the match go?
Arsenal made a quick start and should have taken the lead inside 63 seconds, only for Gabriel to head home from an empty net after Martin Odegaard was fouled.
Saka fired wide from the far corner and Gabriel Jesus was denied by Bart Verbruggen as Arsenal continued to probe and the Gunners sealed victory just after the half-hour mark.
Tariq Lamptey clumsily brought down Jesus as the Brazilian entered the penalty area and referee John Brooks had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Saka made no mistake from 12 yards, firing into the bottom left corner for his 14th league goal of the season.
Julio Enciso came close to equalizing in spectacular fashion just before half-time, but David Raya was able to tip his shot into the top left corner.
Arsenal made Raya’s good work count in the 62nd minute – Jorginho gets on the line and scores for Havertz, who slotted home.
![Havertz's goal](https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/2024/04/06/89774876-5efd-4d0f-9030-3b482f0979cb/Havertz-goal.jpg?width=1400&height=800)
![Havertz's goal](https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/2024/04/06/89774876-5efd-4d0f-9030-3b482f0979cb/Havertz-goal.jpg?width=1400&height=800)
Having replaced Saka, Trossard tried his luck from distance soon after, but Verbruggen was equal to the Belgium international’s low strike.
The Brighton keeper could do little to prevent Trossard from making it 3-0 in the 86th minute, however, with the winger keeping his cool in the one-v-one and lifting a fine finish to compound the misery of his old club.
![goal trossar](https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/2024/04/06/328039f4-06a6-4108-a536-98e34aa06349/trossard-goal.jpg?width=1400&height=800)
![goal trossar](https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/2024/04/06/328039f4-06a6-4108-a536-98e34aa06349/trossard-goal.jpg?width=1400&height=800)
Verbruggen stopped Declan Rice and then Gabriel from scoring as Mikel Arteta’s side continued their excellent form.
Saka on the spot
Saka has now scored as many Premier League goals this season (14 in 29 games) as he did in 2022/23 (14 in 38 games).
The penalty converted here means he has now scored nine of his last 10 spot-kicks in the Premier League, including the last five in a row.
With Euro 2024 on the horizon, it is indeed timely to upgrade goal performance – especially from the spot.
Brighton lost as excellent home record slips
Disappointingly for Brighton, this defeat to Arsenal ends a good run on the pitch.
Before that, the last defeat at the Amex came 3-1 against West Ham United in August. The clipping of the Seagulls’ wings now means that a 12-match unbeaten run, their longest unbeaten run at the Amex in the Premier League, is coming to an end (6-6 draws).
Giving away penalties doesn’t help their run, mind. Roberto De Gerbi’s side have conceded six spot-kicks in the league this season, with only West Ham (10) and Everton (seven) conceding more.
The club reports
Brighton Fair | Arsenal report
The next Premier League games
Basic elements
Havertz scored his ninth Premier League goal of the season with Arsenal, as well as his sixth away from home – both are now the most goals in a single season in the competition (he scored eight for Chelsea in 2021/22, with five of them in away games).
Arsenal have kept five consecutive clean sheets away from home in the Premier League for the first time since April 1997 (5), and are the first team to do so in the competition since Manchester City in April 2022 (also a run of five ).
Arsenal currently have a +51 goal difference in the Premier League. The highest level in the competition since the last day of the 2004/05 season (also +51).
Brighton suffered their first home defeat in the Premier League since August (1-3 v West Ham), ending their longest home unbeaten run in the competition (12 matches). Indeed, this was their heaviest clean sheet at home in the top flight since February 2022 (0-3 v Burnley).