Arsenal 0-3 Brighton (Enciso 51′, Undav 86′, Estupinan 90′)
EMIRATES STADIUM — And that, you have to think, is that for this season’s Premier League title race.
Arsenal still have a chance of lifting a first title since 2004, but one hand has slipped off the helicopter rail and the other is clinging on for dear life after dropped points against Brighton edged Manchester City one step closer to reclaiming their crown.
Playing shortly after an Ilkay Gundogan-inspired City had swept aside Everton with such ease at Goodison Park proved to be a psychological barrier that the title-chasers were unable to overcome.
The Gunners have made the Emirates a fortress this season, perhaps for the first time since moving in 17 years ago, but they lacked fizz in the first half and were almost completely flat in the second.
Arsenal have won 25 league games this season, a total that they have only surpassed in four campaigns in their entire history. They will match the Invincibles’ number of wins if they beat Nottingham Forest next weekend and surpass them if they follow that up with three points against Wolves on the final day.
And yet it almost certainly will not be enough to prevent City from claiming their fifth league win in six years. Anything less than perfection in the pursuit to stop Pep Guardiola’s side will and has been, brutally punished.
Supporters began to make a move for the exits after Deniz Undav’s goal five minutes from time all but ended their hopes of getting anything from the game.
But those who remained chanted “we love you Arsenal, we do” and “Ar-sen-al, Ar-sen-al” after Pervis Estupinan made it three, offering their appreciation to a squad that fell short on the day but that has produced magical moments across the season.
“We have to apologise to our people, especially for the performance that we had in the second half,” a downbeat Mikel Arteta said after the game, before accepting that Arsenal’s title dream is all but over.
“At the moment it’s just frustration,” he said when asked to sum up his emotions. “We fought really hard to be in the position that we are in. Today we were in a critical moment to keep hoping for that dream. When you play in these moments, you can’t do what we did in that second half.”
Brighton are probably the worst possible opponents to face when the intensity levels have been dialled down. Roberto De Zerbi’s intricate blue and white machine whirred back into action after suffering an inexplicable malfunction against Everton last weekend.
The Seagulls have never played in European competition during their 121-year existence, but this result boosts their chances considerably given they are up into sixth with two games in hand on Spurs below them.
Every couple of months or so Brighton unearth a new star of the future. Julio Enciso is the most recent breakthrough act who will no doubt earn the club a considerably higher transfer fee than the £9.5m that they paid Paraguayan side Libertad to acquire him last summer.
Enciso only turned 19 in January, is diminutive in stature and has a slender rather than stocky build, but is completely fearless and, increasingly, a difference maker in big games.
Enciso’s screamer earned Albion three points at Stamford Bridge a few weeks ago and he followed that up with the first goal at the Emirates with a cute header from close-range that looked destined to be the match-winner before a late flurry.
Undav made it two with a superbly taken lob, before Estupinan sent the visiting fans wild with a third in injury time after Aaron Ramsdale had parried an Undav shot into his path.
Almost as entertaining as Brighton’s football was De Zerbi’s antics on the touchline. Sky Sports should incorporate “De Zerbi Cam” into their coverage next season; the Italian is pure, unadulterated box office.
Roberto De Zerbi celebrating Brighton's third goal
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 14, 2023pic.twitter.com/MzdSKmKJKp
De Zerbi sprinted down the touchline Jose Mourinho style after Undav’s goal and got his trousers muddy by celebrating Estupinan’s strike with a knee slide that might leave him sore in the morning.
The 43-year-old’s exuberant antics aren’t to everyone’s tastes, but there is no doubt that he is building something special on the south coast.
There was a moment early on that epitomised the high-risk, high-reward nature of De Zerbi ball. Jason Steele squeezed an incredibly risky pass just beyond Granit Xhaka’s outstretched foot and into Pascal Gross’ path and less than 10 seconds later Enciso had registered the game’s first shot on target.
“We showed that we are serious people,” said De Zerbi after, channeling his inner Logan Roy, before praising Chelsea loanee Levi Colwill for his “courage” in going man to man with Martin Odegaard and winning the battle.
De Zerbi stopped short of revealing what video of Michael Jordan he used to give his side a motivational boost, though after Undav revealed they had watched footage of the Chicago Bulls after the Everton loss. “Undav talks too much,” said De Zerbi dryly.
With highly-rated striker Joao Pedro already signed up from Watford and the elegant playmaker Mahmoud Dahoud tipped to follow from Borussia Dortmund, Brighton should be even stronger next season.
So too should Arsenal after securing a long-awaited return to the Champions League. That of course was their primary target back in August, although having kept City at arm’s length for virtually the entire season, that achievement feels rather hollow now.
from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/OZNiGpy
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