For Arsenal, a restart has been a false start. Four days in to the Premier League’s resumption, their season seems wrecked, their players needing to recover and regroup. The extension of this campaign already seems likely to have repercussions some way into next, and not merely because hopes of a top-four finish are disappearing as quickly as they lost a lead.
Two games have brought Arsenal three injuries, one goal and no points. Neal Maupay contributed to their disappointment in different ways. The Gunners were doubly aggrieved by Brighton’s 95th-minute winner: the scorer was involved as Bernd Leno, Arsenal’s putative player of the year, went off with a knee injury that already threatens to rule him out until 2021.
After Granit Xhaka and Pablo Mari were hurt in the first half at the Etihad Stadium, there was an unwanted sequel. After Manchester City beat Arsenal, there was a more unexpected setback. For a stone-faced Mikel Arteta, it was indefensible. "A very difficult one to take," said the Arsenal manager. "It is unacceptable the way we lost the game."
For Brighton, a long wait ended. The other 90 Premier and Football League teams had won in 2020. They had not until Maupay dummied the ball for Aaron Connolly, accelerated into space to meet the substitute’s flick and deftly beat Emi Martinez, Leno’s deputy. It was a beautiful piece of combination play by two strikers and completed a historic double for Brighton, who won at the Emirates Stadium in December.
The magnitude of the feat is exacerbated by the fact they came from behind. Graham Potter has a habit of making telling changes and Alexis Mac Allister, like Connolly, was involved in the winner.
Their equaliser was as scrappy as the game’s other goals were spectacular, but no less valuable, with Lewis Dunk bundling the ball over the line after Rob Holding blocked his initial shot from a cross by Solly March, another of Potter’s replacements. Not for the first time, Arsenal did not defend a corner well. “We gave them the first goal and didn’t compete for the second goal,” said an unsympathetic Arteta.
Maupay was no more compassionate. “They got what they deserved,” said the Frenchman. “Some Arsenal players need to learn humility.”
Yet for seven minutes, Arsenal could crow. Arteta had picked a more experienced and more expensive forward line and the costliest of all struck. With transfer fees shrinking, Nicolas Pepe’s £72 million (Dh 326m) fee seems destined to remain an Arsenal record for quite some time. It was an indictment when he was an unused substitute at City. It was an advertisement for his prowess when he curled Arsenal into the lead with an unstoppable left-footed shot.
Yet it was just his fifth league goal of the season. Arsenal’s resources have not been allocated well enough and while their best-paid player, Mesut Ozil, made the bench this time, he did not come off it.
The others in that front three threatened in a performance of greater attacking intent. Mat Ryan denied the recalled Alexandre Lacazette once and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang three times. Adam Webster and Lewis Dunk made goal-saving challenges to thwart each.
Arsenal’s youngest player came closer. Bukayo Saka has represented one of the great advertisements for Arteta’s management. The teenager has shown versatility and creativity; he was inches from displaying potency. Used at left-back before lockdown, he started on the right wing against City. He impressed on the left of the midfield trio yesterday and, with his right foot, arrowed a 20-yard shot against the bar. Saka was excellent but Arsenal were insufficiently clinical. “We miss so many chances,” Arteta lamented.
And they lost their goalkeeper. Shortcomings elsewhere mean Leno’s has often been a damage-limitation exercise. This time, the harm was done to him. His knee buckled in horrible fashion as he landed.
“It doesn’t look good,” Arteta said. Leno was stretchered off, clearly angry with Maupay, who had jumped into him. “I never meant to injure their keeper,” the Brighton forward said. “I just went to get the ball. I think it was shoulder against shoulder. At half-time I went to Mikel Arteta to apologise.”
By the final whistle, the Arsenal players were surrounding him, though some of the frustration must have been at their own failings.
