STORY CONTINUES BELOW THESE SALTWIRE VIDEOS
By Martyn Herman
LONDON (Reuters) -The flickering embers of Arsenal’s Premier League title dream had been all however extinguished as they suffered a 3-0 house drubbing by Europe-chasing Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday.
With relentless Manchester Metropolis profitable at Everton within the earlier kickoff to maneuver 4 factors clear, long-time league leaders Arsenal knew solely a victory would suffice.
However they produced a laboured show in opposition to the artful south coast membership and had been outplayed after the break as Julio Enciso, Deniz Undav and Pervis Estupinan scored for Roberto De Zerbi’s aspect, placing Metropolis on the point of securing the title.
The consequence additionally moved Brighton as much as sixth place with video games in hand on the groups round them.
Arsenal’s former Brighton ahead Leandro Trossard struck the crossbar within the first half, however Arsenal regarded deflated after Enciso struck within the 51st minute and crestfallen when Undav lobbed over Aaron Ramsdale within the 86th minute.
Estupinan accomplished Arsenal’s distress in stoppage time to the delight of Brighton’s followers who could quickly be watching the membership’s first enterprise into European competitors.
A fifth league defeat of the season left Arsenal on 81 factors with two video games remaining to Metropolis’s 85 with three left, that means victory for Pep Guardiola’s aspect subsequent Sunday in opposition to Chelsea would wrap up Metropolis’s fifth title in six seasons.
Metropolis might even safe it earlier than that if Arsenal lose in opposition to Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
Brighton have 58 factors with 4 video games nonetheless remaining.
“Yeah it seems tough now to be sincere, now we have to be reasonable. I do not suppose Metropolis are going to do too many errors now,” Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard stated.
“It isn’t feeling for the time being. The best way we performed, significantly within the second half, I do not know what occurred to be sincere. It seems like there isn’t any hope now.”
There was a touch of resignation within the air amongst Arsenal’s followers as they streamed in direction of the Emirates Stadium after listening to of Manchester Metropolis’s earlier 3-0 victory at Everton — an eleventh successive league win for Metropolis.
And there was a lethargy about Arsenal’s play as Brighton sucked the life out of them with their measured passing sport.
Arsenal weren’t helped by shedding ahead Gabriel Martinelli to harm halfway by way of the primary half after he did not shake off the consequences of a hefty Moises Caicedo deal with.
The Brazilian was changed by Trossard, who got here closest to breaking the impasse earlier than halftime with a shot that clipped the highest of the crossbar.
Odegaard drilled a shot simply vast and Bukayo Saka did the identical in first-half stoppage time, however Brighton hogged possession and had been at all times a menace with Enciso twice having a transparent sight of aim.
The house followers tried to galvanise their workforce however the temper fell flat six minutes after the interval as Brighton attacked down the left and after his preliminary cross was blocked, Estupinan lifted a ball into the realm for Enciso to move in.
Arsenal by no means regarded convincing as they tried to reply and shot themselves within the foot when Ramsdale handed the ball out to Trossard and his flick rebounded again in direction of aim, giving Undav on a regular basis on this planet to lob the ball into the online.
With Arsenal in tatters, Estupinan put the icing on Brighton’s cake, steering in a rebound after Ramsdale had parried Undav’s highly effective shot.
Whereas defeat stung for Arteta’s aspect, the injury had actually already been executed final month after they drew with Liverpool and West Ham, having led in every sport by two objectives, after which drew 3-3 at house to relegation-bound Southampton.
These outcomes handed the initiative to Metropolis who’ve churned out factors with ruthless effectivity.
Whereas Metropolis have taken 40 factors from the final 42 on provide, Arsenal’s courageous problem for a primary title since 2004 has unravelled in disappointing style because the strain mounted.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Modifying by Toby Davis and Hugh Lawson)