Arsenal relied on good fortune to come through a bruising clash at Brighton and stretch their advantage at the Premier League summit to seven points.
Brighton dominated for lengthy spells, yet Bukayo Saka’s deflected early effort was enough to secure a vital victory for Mikel Arteta’s team, particularly as Manchester City were frustrated by a 2-2 home draw with struggling Nottingham Forest.
The visitors nearly endured a disastrous start within seconds when goalkeeper David Raya cleared straight to Carlos Baleba, but his attempted chip lacked conviction, giving Gabriel the chance to recover and head the ball off the line.
Arsenal’s luck held after nine minutes when Saka’s straightforward attempt deflected off Baleba and slipped through the legs of Brighton keeper Bart Verbruggen, who will feel he could have reacted better.
Brighton supporters, urged on by head coach Fabian Hurzeler from the touchline, grew increasingly irritated by what they perceived as Arsenal’s time-wasting. Their frustration boiled over shortly before the hour mark when Raya denied Georginio Rutter and then remained on the turf clutching his shoulder before receiving treatment.
Arsenal then faced intense pressure and Brighton ought to have drawn level, but Mats Wieffer headed directly at Raya from close range.
Ultimately, Brighton faded, enabling Arsenal to see out another untidy yet immensely important victory on a night when Manchester City faltered.