Arsenal’s chances of playing European football next season are diminishing every day that passes.
Although many had thought that the Gunners would bounce back against Brighton on Saturday following the earlier heavy loss against Manchester City, this was not the case as Arsenal was beaten 2-1 in the Premier League tie played at the Amex Stadium.
Brighton striker Neal Maupay has been his team’s hero, scoring one of the last kicks with a stop-time winner.
In reality, Maupay dealt a double blow to Arsenal as he was involved in the first half in a serious-looking injury to goalkeeper Bernd Leno but the striker maintains his innocence.
There were no goals for both teams in the first half but in the 68th minute Arsenal had a breakthrough when Nicolas Pepe put Arsenal in front with a left-footed curling shot.
As defender Lewis Dunk equalized for relegation-threatened Brighton, Arsenal’s lead lasted only seven minutes when he stretched his right leg to block the clearance of Rob Holding off his own goal line and diverted the ball over the line.
Although a point for Arsenal would still have been manageable, they ended with nothing as Maupay snatched Brighton’s winning goal in the fifth minute of added-on time when he latched on a pass and fired left-footed inside Leno’s replacement near-post, Emiliano Martinez.
Wilfred Ndidi’s Nigerian duo had been in action for Leicester City earlier as they settled for a 1-1 draw to Watford.
Ben Chilwell scored a 90th-minute goal for the Foxes with the game heading for a barren draw but the Hornets responded almost immediately with a stop-time equalizer from Craig Dawson.
Ndidi played on the Vicarage Road for all 90 minutes why Iheanacho was an 83rd-minute substitute.
