Arsenal hold on to a 1-1 draw against aggressive seagulls

Saturday, 31 August, 2024 

McCreadie Andias 

Brighton & Hove Albion maintained their unbeaten start to the Premier League season after earning a 1-1 draw with 10-man Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday. 

Arsenal showed their intent from the very start, immediately going on the attack down the right as Bukayo Saka displayed quick feet to dribble into the box, with his cutback palmed away by Bart Verbruggen.

The Gunners were looking very dangerous down the right and seemed to be focusing their attacks on 19-year-old left-back Jack Hinshelwood.

Saka was in the thick of the action, linking up with Martin Ødegaard, whose chip over the top was volleyed by the England forward but the lack of a clean connection allowed Verbruggen to comfortably gather the ball.

Brighton began to grow into the contest and push up the pitch but the solid Arsenal defensive wall in the form of Gabriel and William Saliba was proving impenetrable for the Seagulls.

As the half drew on, Fabian Hürzeler’s men seemed to have stifled the Gunners' attack and looked to be heading towards HT goalless.

However, for all of Arsenal’s silky football, it was a simple long ball up the pitch that provided the pivotal moment of the opening 45 minutes as Saka beat Lewis Dunk in the air to send Kai Havertz through on goal, allowing the in-form German to lob the onrushing Verbruggen.

The second half began in dramatic circumstances as Arsenal were reduced to 10 men three minutes in.

Following a simple foul, Declan Rice was sent off for a second yellow card offence for seemingly poking the ball away whilst also being kicked by Joël Veltman.

The away side soon took advantage of the extra man as Dunk’s incisive pass split through Arsenal, picking out Yankuba Minteh, whose one-on-one effort was saved by David Raya, but João Pedro was on hand to slam home the rebound.

The momentum was well and truly with Brighton, who now had over two-thirds of possession and every man inside the Arsenal half.

The visitors were ultimately unable to use their man advantage to score a second goal, with both sides having chances to pick up all three points.

Saka was denied by an out-stretched Verbruggen after Raya made a similar stop to deny Jan Paul van Hecke.

In the end, it was a point apiece, leaving both sides with identical records of two wins and a draw in their three league games ahead of the international break.