Arsenal v Brighton live: Injury-hit Gunners cling on for vital Premier League win to go top | OneFootball

(Action Images via Reuters)

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard’s first club goal of the season helped his side beat Brighton 2-1 to return to the top of the Premier League table.

For the second week running, Arsenal kicked off having been displaced by Manchester City, who beat Nottingham Forest earlier in the day, and they responded once again to the challenge.

Odegaard’s season has been disrupted by a knee injury but he showed trademark precision in the 14th minute to drive a left-footed shot low past Brighton keeper Bart Verbruggen. Arsenal were totally dominant and doubled their lead with a Georginio Rutter own goal in the 52nd minute.

Brighton had offered next to nothing as an attacking force until Diego Gomez slammed in a rebound on 64 minutes after Yasin Ayari’s shot came back off the post and would have equalised had Arsenal keeper David Raya not produced a stunning save to keep out Yankuba Minteh’s curling effort. It was a nervy finish but the Gunners held on to climb back top.

Martin Odegaard: 'You need to win in different ways'

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard scored one of the two goals today and helped drive the Gunners on as they climbed back top of the Premier League.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the win, he said: “It was a tough one in the end but I think we played a good game. We were dominant from the start, they got a bit of momentum towards the end but we got an important three points.

“I think we played really good, controlled the game but we could have done better and not let them score like they did. They got the momentum when they got the goal, got belief back, but we did well to defend.

On David Raya's save: “I think that was the only big chance they had apart from the goal, it was a great save.

On scoring: “I've been waiting for that one, I've been working on my finishing a lot in training so I'm happy.

"The last few games have been [close], but you have to be able to win in different ways. We need to keep going, keep building and keep getting the wins."

(Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Luke Baker27 December 2025 17:35

Arsenal 2-1 Brighton, 87 mins

Now Jesus does really well to work some space in the box but delays his shot for a second and Van Hecke gets a lunging block in.

Brighton with a couple of final changes to try and snatch an equaliser. Charalampos Kostoulas and Tommy Watson, two young guns, on for Gomez and Coppola

Luke Baker27 December 2025 16:47