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Arsenal suffered a second consecutive Premier League defeat this weekend with a 2-1 loss against Brighton and Hove Albion away from home.
The first half of the game was relatively uneventful apart from Bernd Leno’s horrible knee injury as he had to be drawn off the pitch in a stretcher in the 36th minute.
The game sprung into life when Nicolas Pepe curled an exquisite left-footed shot past Mat Ryan in the 68th minute to give Arsenal the lead. However, Brighton equalised through Lewis Dunk a few minutes later and then a 95th minute goal from Neal Maupay sealed all three points for the Seagulls.
Without further ado, let us look at the five best players (from both sides) in the match.
Brighton 2:1 Arsenal - Five best players
#1: Yves Bissouma
Yves Bissouma was labelled the ;Man of the Match' after the game. This came as no surprise as he was one of Brighton’s best players in the win against Arsenal.
The Malian played the 'destroyer' role in the centre of midfield. He constantly hunted down Arsenal players, winning tackles and recovering loose balls in all areas of the pitch. Such was his aggressive nature that he conceded six fouls, all without receiving a yellow card.
Brighton manager Graham Potter recently urged Bissouma to be more consistent. The 23 year old certainly proved his worth today.
#2 Bukayo Saka
Despite the disappointing nature of Arsenal’s defeat, Bukayo Saka was the one bright spark and the best player for the Gunners.
The young Englishman has been deployed in multiple positions by Arsenal this season: left wing, right wing and left back. In this match, he was utilised as a central midfielder.
Saka put himself in many dangerous positions in the opposition’s territory, starting from the left-hand side and driving forward. This nearly paid dividends when a fierce shot from outside the box struck the crossbar in the first half. Saka also delivered some great crosses into the box which his Arsenal colleagues failed to convert.
After breaking into the Arsenal first team this season and producing some outstanding performances, Saka seems to have a bright future at the club. With only a year left on his contract, Arsenal would be wise to keep this exciting young prospect in their ranks.
#3: Lewis Dunk
Lewis Dunk was one of the main reasons why Arsenal were unable to score more goals than they the one they did.
The experienced centre-back was an immense presence in the game, both defensively and offensively. Dunk put in vital blocks and tackles when it seemed certain that the opposition would score. One such instance in the first half saw Dunk make a last-ditch slide against Alexandre Lacazette who had a clear sight of goal.
At the other end of the pitch, the Brighton captain led the comeback against the Gunners. In the 75th minute, Dunk stabbed the ball into the Arsenal net to give his side the equaliser. This goal served as a catalyst for Brighton to play more direct football as the hosts went on to win the match.
#4: Nicolas Pepe
Sometimes it takes one moment of quality to turn the tide in a match. After a frustrating first half with no goals, Arsenal needed someone to make a difference.
Up stepped the £72 m signing, Nicolas Pepe. The Ivorian received a pass from Saka on the right wing. Shifting the ball to his favoured left foot, Pepe unleashed a sublime curled shot that nestled into the top corner of the Brighton net.
Although Pepe has been inconsistent this season (and certainly was in this match), this goal shows that he can become a key player for Arsenal in due course.
#5: Neal Maupay
Neal Maupay will certainly be the 'talk of the town' after this match. The Frenchman was involved in a collision with Bernd Leno in the first half that resulted in the Arsenal goalkeeper sustaining a serious knee injury. It was uncertain whether Maupay was at fault for the injury, though.
Arsenal players, especially Leno, definitely thought he was culpable in spite of his apology to Leno and manager Mikel Arteta.
Regardless of this incident, Maupay had an encouraging performance in the centre forward role. He caused problems for Arsenal’s defence with his quick feet and ability to take shots from tight angles.
The 23-year-old became more effective when Aaron Connolly came on in the second half to partner him in a two-striker formation. The combination between the two created Brighton’s last-minute goal where Connolly threaded the ball to Maupay with the outside of his boot. The Frenchman steered the ball over Leno’s replacement, Emi Martinez, with a composed finish.
Whether Maupay was to blame for Bernd Leno’s injury is difficult to know but what is certain is that he gave a passionate performance that ultimately led to his side’s victory.
