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Arsenal’s title cost reveals no indicators of slowing, with Mikel Arteta’s staff stretching their unbeaten run to 11 video games within the Premier League with a dominant 3-0 victory at Brighton.
Bukayo Saka’s first-half penalty obtained Arsenal motoring on the Amex Stadium earlier than Kai Havertz and former Brighton man Leandro Trossard rounded issues off to fireside the north Londoners to the highest of the league following Manchester City’s earlier 4-2 win at Crystal Palace.
Liverpool may return to the league summit after their recreation in opposition to Manchester United on Sunday however Arsenal’s title ambitions stay in impolite well being.
Artwork de Roche breaks down the primary speaking factors from the Amex.
Saka continues to ship when it issues
Bukayo Saka’s ruthlessness continues to succeed in new heights.
The winger reached 30 purpose involvements for Arsenal this season in all competitions by placing them forward in opposition to Brighton together with his fifth Premier League penalty of the season, leaving any doubts over his spot-kick credentials even additional within the rear-view mirror.
Arsenal started the season by swapping takers. Saka, Martin Odegaard, and Kai Havertz all took penalties earlier than the brand new 12 months, however the England worldwide has been the only real taker within the league since then, scoring all three.
The 22-year-old’s final two (in opposition to Brighton at the moment and within the penalty shootout win over Porto) have epitomised his ruthlessness. Each had been drilled low to the goalkeeper’s proper, leaving neither Diogo Costa nor Bart Verbruggen any probability of saving.
Saka had some vibrant moments within the recreation — a first-half shot simply vast and an opportunity created for Gabriel Jesus — however was nonetheless discovering his rhythm on his return to Arsenal’s beginning line-up. Just like earlier this season, his output obtained his staff by a tricky second.
He has now equalled his greatest scoring season within the Premier League (14 targets, a file set final season). With seven video games to play, he’ll seemingly break that and can proceed to be important to Arsenal’s title hopes.
Bukayo Saka opens the scoring from the penalty spot (Steve Bardens/Getty Pictures)
Havertz, Jesus and the significance of off-the-ball motion
Kai Havertz giving Arsenal their two-goal cushion together with his tenth purpose of the season in all competitions is what settled the nerves, however the significance of his and a few of his team-mates’ off-the-ball motion can’t be understated.
Brighton’s early confidence meant Arsenal’s assault was not as fluid to start with, and it was the German’s runs in behind that helped disrupt issues. This led to Havertz crossing for Jesus within the first half however the Brazilian misdirected his header.
The dynamic of Havertz by the center with Jesus on the left remains to be barely new. Each gamers have performed in these positions this season however this was simply the second time they began in these roles collectively, with final week’s goalless draw at Manchester Metropolis the primary.
Havertz’s willingness to stretch the road labored effectively. For Jesus, except for an early shot that pressured a save on the sting of the field and when he held his width earlier than successful Arsenal’s penalty, he typically took too many touches to maneuver the ball. That allowed Brighton to get again right into a defensive form and reinstated the significance of off-the-ball motion — which returned within the unlikely form of Jorginho.
With Saka on the ground, Jorginho overlapping made up Odegaard’s mind. He had to play that pass. Havertz’s double motion to seek out area within the six-yard field was equally instructive for Jorginho, leading to a simple end to place Arsenal in whole management. The end additionally meant that the 24-year-old German had scored the 1,000th purpose of this Premier League season.
With the ball for Leandro Trossard’s late chip, Havertz now has 5 targets and 4 assists in his final seven video games.
Havertz celebrates with Jorginho after scoring (Steve Bardens/Getty Pictures)
If defence wins titles, Arsenal have each probability
Arsenal preserving yet one more clear sheet means that is simply the second time they’ve stored 5 in a row away from within the Premier League period. Alongside that, David Raya turned the primary Spanish goalkeeper to maintain 5 clear sheets in as many away begins within the Premier League — and simply the ninth keeper to take action general.
This was Arsenal’s seventh clear sheet in 11 league video games in 2024, a feat much more spectacular contemplating Arteta’s latest tweaks in choice.
GO DEEPER
Arteta trusting his squad players can only make Arsenal stronger
Oleksandr Zinchenko beginning in opposition to Brighton was considerably shocking. The left-back does want extra rhythm forward of the end-of-season run-in — and this recreation would have helped construct that — however Jakub Kiwior’s affect of late together with his bodily attributes could have made him a greater match on the Amex.
That’s not solely due to Zinchenko however on account of how the whole left flank functioned. With Jesus forward of him on the left wing, the ahead generally gifted area for Brighton to assault Zinchenko. Within the first half, for instance, this occurred when Jesus both stepped as much as apply stress or did not test his shoulder, leaving area in behind that was exploited by Tariq Lamptey who had free runs on the Arsenal defender.
Brighton additionally remoted Zinchenko with direct balls to his channel, however Arsenal rode out these storms effectively.
How that defensive partnership on the left develops — particularly with Takehiro Tomiyasu and Gabriel Martinelli each coming back from harm — may very well be attention-grabbing to observe over the approaching weeks.
As soon as they had been two after which three targets forward, Arsenal gamers’ collective effort to maintain a clear sheet was embodied by Gabriel’s late block on a Joao Pedro shot. However had he not obtained there, another person definitely would have. The group celebration confirmed simply how dominant this squad needs to be.
What subsequent for Arsenal?
Tuesday, April 9: Bayern Munich (H), Champions League, 8pm UK, 3pm ET
Sunday, April 14: Aston Villa (H), Premier League, 4.30pm UK, 11.30am ET
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(High picture: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC by way of Getty Pictures)
