TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE ART
Gunners boss left Mik as a parrot
IT WAS fun while it lasted but Arsenal’s fading title challenge effectively ended in defeat and despair at the Emirates.
They were blitzed by a brilliant Brighton display but the whole season just seemed to catch up with Arsenal in one afternoon.
If there was going to be a turnaround in the title race, realistically it had to be this weekend. But Manchester City’s thumping win at Everton earlier in the day sucked all of the energy and positivity out of the stadium even before kick-off.
Arsenal could not lift themselves and, by the final whistle, the Emirates was less than half full which is a shame because surely the supporters cannot complain about the season overall. But the Gunners have won just two of their last seven matches and that must come down to some inexperience and naivety.
Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi gave counterpart Mikel Arteta a proper schooling in the second half as the visitors tore Arsenal apart.
The frustrations gripped the Arsenal fans – referee Andy Madley had a maddening game lacking in authority – but if a few of them took their red spectacles off they would have seen that Gabriel Martinelli was lucky not to have been sent off before he went off injured.
The Brazilian’s shocking challenge on Kaoru Mitoma was deemed reckless rather than dangerous by the VAR and therefore the referee was not advised to change his mind and there was not even a yellow card.
Martinelli was taken out soon after by Brighton full-back Moises Caicedo’s brutal challenge.
Leandro Trossard came on for Martinelli – who reappeared after the final whistle in a surgical boot – and the ex-Brighton winger’s every touch was booed by the visiting fans. Trossard hit the top of the bar and
Bukayo Saka’s shot was as close as Arsenal came. But the second half was a different story. Brighton were magnificent as they stepped it up.
They took a 51st-minute lead after Pervis Estupinan’s cross bounced up, Arsenal defender Jakub Kiwior went down and one of the smallest players on the pitch, Julio Enciso, headed in.
Arsenal screamed foul as Kiwior claimed he was caught by Evan Ferguson, but what sort of defender goes down and does not try to protect his own goal? Arteta made changes to try and get his team going and Reiss Nelson’s shot just arrowed wide. But Brighton are Arsenal’s bogey team as the Gunners have managed to beat them just once at the Emirates in the past five seasons.
The second goal came after 86 minutes. Aaron Ramsdale’s throw found Trossard, Pascal Gross made a challenge and the ball fell to Deniz Undaz who chipped the keeper.
De Zerbi went running down the touchline, Jose Mourinho-style. Then he did a knee slide after the third in injury time. Undav’s shot was parried by Ramsdale before being knocked in by Estupinan.
Brighton deserved it. What a team they have put together. Levi Colwill was among their star performers and the on-loan Chelsea kid is surely an England defender in waiting.
Arsenal cannot lose sight of the fact it has been a good season.
But it could all be over by next weekend and, after being eight points clear just a matter of weeks ago, their campaign has fallen off a cliff in dramatic fashion.