LONDON: Arsenal’s quest to qualify for the Champions League received another setback with a 2-1 home loss to Brighton on Saturday, making it two defeats in a row for Mikel Arteta’s slumping team.
Five days after losing 3-0 at Crystal Palace, Arsenal looked fragile again as Leandro Trossard and Enock Mwepu scored either side of halftime at Emirates Stadium for a previously out-of-form Brighton before a late consolation by Martin Odegaard.
The absences of first-choice left back Kieran Tierney and influential holding midfielder Thomas Partey are proving significant for Arsenal in the late-season fight with Tottenham, in particular, for a top-four finish behind Manchester City, Liverpool and most likely Chelsea.
Arsenal started the game tied on points with fourth-place Tottenham, which plays at Aston Villa later Saturday.
Granit Xhaka, a center midfielder, filled in at left back with Tierney missing and was out of position for Brighton’s first goal. Xhaka was stranded upfield as a long ball was played in behind him, and Mwepu ran through before crossing for Trossard to apply a rising finish from 15 yards (meters) in the 29th minute.
Gabriel Martinelli had an equalizing goal at a corner in first-half stoppage time ruled out for offside after a four-minute review by VAR, and the home fans were further frustrated in the 66th when Moisés Caicedo pulled the ball back to the edge of the area for Mwepu to sweep in a low finish.
Odegaard pulled a goal back in the 89th minute with a long-range strike that looped into the top corner after taking a slight deflection but Arsenal didn’t have enough time to find an equalizer.
It was a third loss in the last four games for Arsenal, which must play Chelsea and Manchester United this month with its injury-affected team.
Brighton, which hadn’t won any of their previous seven league games, is languishing in midtable as it drifts toward the end of the season.
Arsenal lose again in blow to top-4 bid in Premier League
https://arab.news/yedh8
Arsenal lose again in blow to top-4 bid in Premier League
- Five days after losing 3-0 at Crystal Palace, Arsenal looked fragile again as Leandro Trossard and Enock Mwepu scored either side of halftime at Emirates Stadium
- Granit Xhaka filled in at left back with Tierney missing and was out of position for Brighton’s first goal
Arsenal host Chelsea, looking to maintain lead in EPL
- “Well, I think one thing leads to another,” explained Gunners manager Mikel Arteta
- Rosenior said: “The Premier League is so difficult every week”
LONDON: Arsenal will look to move another step closer to their first Premier League title in 22 years Sunday when they host a Chelsea side managing its own improved run of form under new manager Liam Rosenior.
The Gunners (18-3-7, 61 points) maintained their five-point lead over Manchester City with an emphatic 4-1 win at Tottenham Hotspur last Sunday, though City still possess a match in hand.
Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres each had a brace as Arsenal pulled away following a first half that ended tied at 1-1.
The performance took Gyokeres to 10 league goals in his first English campaign after his move from Sporting Lisbon this summer. Five of those have come in the Sweden international’s last five league appearances.
“Well, I think one thing leads to another,” explained Gunners manager Mikel Arteta. “When you score the first one, the performance is good, you have more time with your teammates, you understand the games, the opponents, the league better, everything helps.”
The result stretched Arsenal’s winning run to five matches in the North London Derby and their unbeaten streak to eight. Against Chelsea, the Gunners have gone 10 unbeaten while winning seven in all competitions, including both legs of their EFL Cup semifinal in November and January.
But fifth-place Chelsea (12-6-9, 45 points) have looked improved under incoming manager Rosenior, even if the decision to replace Enzo Maresca caught most off guard.
The Blues have posted an 8-2-2 mark under his direction in all competitions, with those EFL Cup losses the only defeats. In the league, Chelsea have taken 14 points from six games, a pace that would see them above Arsenal if it were extended over the whole season.
Still, they begin three points behind Manchester United in the quest for the final UEFA Champions League spot next season. And it may get tougher from here, with Aston Villa, Newcastle and a round-of-16 UCL clash with Paris Saint-Germain looming.
Rosenior doesn’t see it that way.
“The Premier League is so difficult every week. Every week, the challenges that you face, the different tactical problems that you have, the physicality of the league, I don’t judge one game as harder than the other,” he said. “For me, I’m happy with this group, I’m happy with the start that we’ve made. We’ve won eight out of 12, it should be 10 out of 12. That’s not bad.”
Rosenior also confirmed captain Reece James will be available after the defensive midfielder sustained a minor injury in last weekend’s 1-1 draw against Burnley.
