Brighton & Hove Albion Vs Arsenal Full Time Match Report

Joao Pedro’s second-half penalty dealt a blow to Arsenal’s title aspirations as the Gunners were held to a 1-1 draw by Brighton.

Arsenal took the lead in the 16th minute, with Ethan Nwaneri scoring on just his second Premier League start.

The 17-year-old linked up well with Mikel Merino and Declan Rice before unleashing a shot that slipped past goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen into the far corner.

Arsenal controlled much of the match, creating several opportunities to extend their lead, but their failure to capitalize on those chances came back to haunt them when Pedro converted a penalty shortly after the hour mark.

The penalty was awarded for a rare incident when Pedro flicked the ball up, and as William Saliba attempted to head it away, he inadvertently made contact with the Brazilian’s head, sending him to the ground.

After a VAR review, the referee confirmed there was enough contact to award the spot kick, and Pedro coolly sent David Raya the wrong way to equalize.

Brighton could have taken all three points when substitute Yankuba Minteh missed a golden opportunity, curling wide from inside the box.

The draw leaves Arsenal five points behind league leaders Liverpool, having played two more games than their rivals.