Arsenal overcame late defensive injuries and a Brighton comeback to win 2-1 and reclaim first place in the Premier League.
Arsenal returned to the summit of the Premier League after a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Brighton at the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners entered the match under pressure after Manchester City’s earlier win over Nottingham Forest briefly knocked them off top spot.
Despite the tension of the title race, Mikel Arteta’s side secured their third consecutive league win in their penultimate fixture of 2025.
The victory was achieved despite a mounting injury crisis in defense.
Already missing Jurrien Timber due to a knock sustained against Crystal Palace, Arsenal suffered a further blow when Riccardo Calafiori was forced to withdraw from the starting lineup just before kick-off.
Nevertheless, the hosts took control in the first half through a strike from captain Martin Odegaard and doubled their lead via a Georginio Rutter own goal.
Brighton set up a nervous finale when Diego Gomez pulled a goal back, but Arsenal held firm to secure the three points.
The result ensures the North London side remains in control of the title race heading into the final days of the year.
While the article did not contain direct quotes from the managers, the performance was described as a moment where the “Gunners survive late scare to reclaim top spot after double injury setback.”