Arsenal Overcome Defensive Injuries to Stay Top After Beating Brighton

Arsenal overcame their problems at the back to reclaim the Premier League summit with a narrow 2-1 victory over Brighton on Saturday.

Mikel Artetas team were missing numerous defenders even before Riccardo Calafiori picked up a knock right before the game started at the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners brushed aside those missing players as Martin Odegaard opened the scoring in the opening period and then Georginio Rutter unfortunately put through his own net after the break to make it two.

Brighton pulled one back through Diego Gomez but Arsenal managed to secure a third straight league win.

The London side now lead second placed Manchester City by two points after City had temporarily overtaken them with a 2-1 success against Nottingham Forest earlier in the day.

Arsenals next fixture sees them welcome title challengers Aston Villa on December 30.

Arteta had to put out a lineup lacking a natural right back because of the injury issues and things worsened when the Italian defender Calafiori got hurt during the warm up.

With Cristhian Mosquera Ben White and Jurrien Timber also out Myles Lewis Skelly slotted in at left back while Declan Rice the England midfielder began at right back.

Even with their defensive troubles Arsenal pressed hard against Brighton and might have gone in front early when Viktor Gyokeres capitalised on an error by Lewis Dunk but he could only find the keeper Bart Verbruggen.

Bukayo Saka then came close after weaving past Maxim De Cuyper yet Verbruggen blocked his effort at the near post.

The pressure paid off in the 14th minute as Saka intercepted a wayward clearance from Verbruggen and set up Odegaard who struck a tidy low shot from outside the box.

This marked the Arsenal skippers first strike of the campaign ending his dry spell that had lasted since May.

Rice came within inches of doubling the advantage but Dunk blocked his attempt on the line and Verbruggen then produced a superb stop to deny Gyokeress smart header.

Arsenal had triumphed in every one of their 11 Premier League matches this season where they netted first and that strong streak stayed alive.

They extended their lead in the 52nd minute as Rutter nodded in a corner from Rice for an own goal continuing Arsenals excellent form from dead balls this year and marking the fourth such effort in their previous six strikes.

Brighton who had not managed a single effort on target before the interval stunned everyone by reducing the deficit in the 64th minute.

Yasin Ayaris attempt rebounded off the upright and Gomez was fastest to react prodding it in from near the goal line.

Arteta reacted by bringing on Brazilian defender Gabriel Magalhaes who was making his comeback from a thigh problem that struck in November.

However tension built among the home supporters and Yankuba Minteh nearly sparked chaos with a fierce shot from distance that seemed bound for the top corner until David Raya tipped it over brilliantly.