Brighton 1-1 Arsenal: Player ratings as Pedro penalty holds Gunners to draw
- Ethan Nwaneri opened the scoring for Arsenal
- Joao Pedro fired Brighton level with a second-half spot kick
- Mikel Arteta's side missed the chance to close the gap up to Liverpool
Brighton came from behind to hold Arsenal to a 1-1 draw in front of their own fans on Saturday evening.
Arsenal's 17-year-old starlet Ethan Nwaneri stroked the Gunners into an early lead. Fresh from his first Premier League start, the prodigious academy graduate nabbed his second top-flight goal, making a third-man burst down the right flank before tucking the ball into the bottom corner.
Brighton fought their way back into the contest, taking advantage of slopping play from the visitors to win possession in the final third on multiple occasions. Yet, the hosts' wastefulness in front of goal prevented them from punishing Arsenal's lax play in the first half.
Mikel Arteta's side were not awakened from their self-imposed slumber by Brighton's obvious threat and slept-walked through the start of the second half right up until the Seagulls earned a spot kick. Joao Pedro won and converted the 61st-minute penalty after winning an aerial challenge with a wayward William Saliba.
A disappointing draw leaves Arsenal five points adrift of league-leading Liverpool, who have two games in hand on the Gunners. Brighton's fourth singular point on the spin was enough to help them climb into the top half of the Premier League table.
Brighton player ratings (4-2-3-1)
Player | Rating |
|---|---|
GK: Bart Verbruggen | 6.5/10 |
RB: Joel Veltman | 7.2/10 |
CB: Jan Paul van Hecke | 7.2/10 |
CB: Igor | 6.7/10 |
LB: Pervis Estupinan | 7.4/10 |
CM: Carlos Baleba | 6.7/10 |
CM: Yasin Ayari | 7.7/10 |
AM: Matt O'Riley | 5.9/10 |
RW: Brajan Gruda | 5.4/10 |
ST: Joao Pedro | 8.3/10 |
LW: Simon Adingra | 6.3/10 |
SUB: Georginio Rutter (46' for O'Riley) | 6.1/10 |
SUB: Yankuba Minteh (46' for Gruda) | 6.7/10 |
SUB: Kaoru Mitoma (62' for Adingra) | 6.7/10 |
SUB: Adam Webster (66' for Igor) | 6.9/10 |
Subs not used: Jason Steele (GK), Tariq Lamptey, Jakub Moder, Julio Enciso, Solly March.
Arsenal player ratings (4-3-3)
Player | Rating |
|---|---|
GK: David Raya | 7.3/10 |
RB: Thomas Partey | 7.4/10 |
CB: William Saliba | 6.7/10 |
CB: Gabriel | 6.8/10 |
LB: Riccardo Calafiori | 7.5/10 |
CM: Declan Rice | 7.2/10 |
CM: Jorginho | 6.6/10 |
CM: Mikel Merino | 7.5/10 |
RW: Ethan Nwaneri | 7.5/10 |
ST: Gabriel Jesus | 6.8/10 |
LW: Leandro Trossard | 7.1/10 |
SUB: Gabriel Martinelli (46' for Nwaneri) | 6.1/10 |
SUB: Martin Odegaard (64' for Jorginho) | 5.9/10 |
Subs not used: Neto (GK), Jakub Kiwior, Kieran Tierney, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Ismeal Kabia, Nathan Butler-Oyedeji
Player of the match - Joao Pedro (Brighton)
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