Arsenal missed an opportunity to close the gap on Premier League leaders Liverpool as they settled for a frustrating 1-1 draw against Brighton.
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, who finished as runners-up in the Premier League for the past two seasons, were aiming for their fourth consecutive league win as they traveled to the south coast on Saturday.
In the absence of the injured Bukayo Saka, seventeen-year-old Ethan Nwaneri scored in the first half to put Arsenal ahead.
However, Joao Pedro equalized for Brighton from the penalty spot after a collision between the Brazilian and William Saliba just after the hour mark, leading to Arteta’s strong reaction.
Arteta expressed his disappointment with the penalty decision, stating, “I’ve never seen that in my life, and Saliba touches the ball, so it’s never a penalty for me.”
The draw leaves Arsenal in second place, five points behind Liverpool, with Arne Slot’s team leading the table and set to face Manchester United on Sunday.
Reflecting on the match, Arteta commented, “We knew it was going to be competitive and challenging. But we did compete, and it wasn’t our best day.”
Additionally, Manchester City secured a 4-1 victory over West Ham, marking their second consecutive win in the league after a long drought.
Man City return to winning ways against West Ham
