Leandro Trossard put the visitors ahead before Enock Mwepu doubled the lead for Brighton and Arsenam puuled one back through Martin Odegaard's late strike.
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Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta felt his side didn’t show any purpose in the 2-1 loss against Brighton at Emirates on Saturday. It was their second consecutive loss and they have now dropped out of the top-four and Tottenham who thrashed Aston Villa 4-0 later on the day, moved to the fourth spot. Leandro Trossard put the visitors ahead on 28 minutes before Enock Mwepu doubled the lead in the 66th minute. Although Arsenal pulled one back through Martin Odegard’s 89th minute strike, it was too late and Brighton held on to the slender lead and took all three points.
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The visitors take all three points.
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— Arsenal (@Arsenal) April 9, 2022
“The first half was really poor again,” Arteta said. “The reaction that we wanted to show and everything we talked about we didn’t make it happen on the pitch.”
There weren’t too many chances created in the match but Brighton managed to convert their opportunities. Mwepu delivered a perfect cut back for an onrushing Trossard to put the ball past Aaron Ramsdale into the roof of the net. Arsenal could have defended better as the goal-scorer was completely unmarked inside the penalty area.
“We were sloppy with the ball, we were second best in a lot of situations, we didn’t show any purpose or build any momentum in the game, we didn’t play with the right speed and transform the game Brighton proposed today and the first chance – the only chance they had – they scored a goal.”
“We created a cold atmosphere we were uncomfortable with. When we tried to change it, it was great not to give up but it was too late”
Brighton doubled the lead when Mwepu converted with a fine half-volley from the edge of the box from Moises Caicedo’s cross. Odegaard reduced the deficit for the hosts courtesy of a deflected long-range effort which looped over Robert Sanchez and into the back of the net.
“We played a game that you could not see the purpose, the intention of what the team was trying to do. We didn’t give them anything in the first half and that is down to us.
“It was not a problem of attitude, it was a problem of courage we showed to play and we didn’t have that purpose. We didn’t have that intention to attack and step in and provoke the situation we wanted to. We were looking at each other too many times instead of taking ownership and doing what we have to do. You can’t play like that.”
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