Arsenal move top of the league with win over Brighton

17 December 2023 - 18:17 By Rohith Nair
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Gabriel Jesus celebrates after scoring Arsenal's first goal in their Premier League match against Brighton & Hove Albion at Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
Gabriel Jesus celebrates after scoring Arsenal's first goal in their Premier League match against Brighton & Hove Albion at Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
Image: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

A dominant Arsenal beat Brighton & Hove Albion 2-0 at home on Sunday with second-half goals from Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz, as the north London side provisionally moved back to the top of the Premier League standings.

Brighton had won on their last three trips to The Emirates in all competitions but all the first-half action was in their box as Arsenal pressed forward and were thwarted repeatedly, with keeper Bart Verbruggen standing firm.

But Brighton's resistance came to an end eight minutes into the second half when defender Jan Paul van Hecke accidentally flicked a corner kick into the path of unmarked striker Gabriel Jesus, who headed home at the far post.

Brighton nearly levelled through Pascal Gross who shot wide late in the game, but an Arsenal counterattack in the 87th minute saw Kai Havertz go through on goal to make it 2-0 and give the home side some breathing space. 

Reuters


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