da 888： Arsenal moved back to the top of the Premier League table with a nervy 2-1 win against Brighton at the Emirates.

da dobrowin： After Man City won their lunchtime kick-off at Nottingham Forest, the pressure was on a side who have finished runners-up in the league for the past three seasons.

However, they started well and Viktor Gyokeres should have done better when he side-footed at Bart Verbruggen inside two minutes before Bukayo Saka ghosted past Maxim de Cuyper only to find Verbruggen equal to his close-range effort.

Saka then blazed over and from the ensuing goal kick, came the opener.

Martin Zubimendi reacted first to Verbruggen’s hospital pass and Delcan Rice’s header found Bukayo Saka, who played the ball to Martin Odegaard.

The Arsenal captain was afforded too much room, taking one touch to compose himself, before firing a low, left-footed strike that nestled into the bottom corner.

Half-chances for Saka and Rice, on two occasions, followed, and Verbruggen then turned away Zubimendi’s neat back-heel following a goalmouth scramble.

Verbruggen was in the spotlight on the stroke of half-time when he clattered Gyokeres on the far touchline, but he escaped with a caution and Brighton were able to keep the deficit to one at the interval.

But less than seven minutes of the second half had been played when the hosts doubled their advantage after an unmarked Rutter’s near-post header left Verbruggen with no chance.

It marked another goal from a corner and a fourth own goal across three home games Arsenal have been able to cash in on.

On the hour mark, Gyokeres saw his shot blocked by Verbruggen – the Sweden international’s wait for a goal in open play extending to seven matches – but Arsenal looked in cruise control.

That was until Yasin Ayari’s shot hit David Raya’s far post and Diego Gomez fired home the rebound. A flying fingertip stop from Raya then kept out Yankuba Minteh’s curling effort with the home support suddenly riddled by anxiety.

Arsenal have made a habit of conceding late goals in recent times and Mikel Arteta was on his knees when substitute Gabriel Martinelli managed to hit his six-yard shot over the bar with five minutes to go.

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But the Spaniard’s side managed to get three crucial points over the line to keep Pep Guardiola’s in-form City at arm’s length.

Alongside Raya’s absolutely out of this world save to keep Brighton at bay, Paul Merson was in awe of Odegaard’s display.

Paul Merson says Martin Odegaard had his best Arsenal game in ages

Speaking on the Sky Sports Soccer Saturday panel in the aftermath of Arsenal’s precious victory, Merson claimed that the Norway international put in his most convincing display in ages.

Merson said that Odegaard had his ‘best football match’ for the Gunners ‘for a long time’ — lavishing praise on the playmaker who’s endured a real stop-start campaign overall.

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The Norwegian captain has made 12 Premier League appearances totaling just 628 minutes, and remarkably remained without a goal across all competitions until this afternoon.

He has also registered just one assist in the league, a significant drop from the eight he managed last season and 11 the year before.

Odegaard’s campaign has been marred by injuries, with the captain suffering a shoulder problem during their first home game of 25/26 against Leeds United, forcing his first-half withdrawal.

He also became the first player in Premier League history to be substituted before half-time in three consecutive starts after sustaining a medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury to his left knee in October’s clash with West Ham.

Now, the £240,000-per-week star appears to be working his way back to full form, and Arteta will be hoping that continues into 2026.

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