Arsenal 2-1 Brighton & Hove Albion: Post-match review, Stats, Key moments

Dive into Ladbrokes’ post-match review of Arsenal 2-1 Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League on Saturday, 27 December 2025, with stats, key moments and our take on the match.

Arsenal secured a 2-1 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion at the Emirates. The hosts took an early lead when Martin Ødegaard scored in the 14th minute, assisted by Bukayo Saka, putting Arsenal in control from the outset. Brighton struggled to respond in the first half, with their goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen picking up a yellow card in added time for reasons not specified, and Arsenal went into the break ahead, building on their recent run of three straight wins before this match.

The second half saw Arsenal extend their lead in the 52nd minute through an own goal by Brighton’s Georginio Rutter, assisted by Declan Rice, but Brighton pulled one back when Diego Gómez netted in the 64th. Arsenal faced some pressure with yellow cards to Myles Lewis-Skelly in the 69th and Piero Hincapié in the 90th, while Brighton collected bookings for Lewis Dunk in the 50th and Diego Coppola in the 56th. Despite the late push, Arsenal held on for the win, continuing their strong form after a loss to Aston Villa earlier in their recent results, while Brighton remain winless in their last five league games.

Arsenal edged possession with 53% compared to Brighton’s 47%, allowing them to dictate much of the tempo, though Brighton stayed competitive on the counter. The hosts dominated corners 7-2 and successful dribbles 54-33, showing their attacking threat and ability to break lines, but both sides racked up cards with Arsenal on two yellows and Brighton on three, pointing to a feisty encounter without any reds. Arsenal recorded one assist while Brighton had none, and with three substitutions for Arsenal versus Brighton’s five, the visitors tried to chase the game late on without penalties or injury-time goals influencing the outcome.

Arsenal opened the scoring in the 14th minute as Martin Ødegaard finished off a move assisted by Bukayo Saka, setting a dominant tone early. The game shifted further in Arsenal’s favour in the 52nd minute with an own goal from Brighton’s Georginio Rutter, prompted by Declan Rice’s involvement, but Brighton responded in the 64th when Diego Gómez scored to make it tense. Key substitutions included Arsenal bringing on Gabriel Magalhães for Myles Lewis-Skelly and Gabriel Jesus for Viktor Gyökeres at 71’, while Brighton made halftime changes with Yankuba Minteh replacing Brajan Gruda and Mats Wieffer coming on for Maxim De Cuyper, though Arsenal’s defence held firm despite late yellow cards.

Arsenal lined up in a 4-3-3 formation, with Martin Ødegaard pulling strings in midfield and linking effectively with Bukayo Saka in attack. Declan Rice provided solidity in the centre, while substitutions saw Gabriel Magalhães replace Myles Lewis-Skelly and Gabriel Jesus come on for Viktor Gyökeres to maintain their shape. Leandro Trossard started before making way for Gabriel Martinelli late on, adding width to their forward line.

Brighton & Hove Albion set up in a 3-4-2-1, relying on Lewis Dunk at the back despite his yellow card, with Diego Gómez making an impact by scoring their goal. Halftime changes brought Yankuba Minteh on for Brajan Gruda and Mats Wieffer replacing Maxim De Cuyper to boost midfield energy. Later, Danny Welbeck substituted for Jack Hinshelwood, while Charalampos Kostoulas and Tom Watson came on for Diego Gómez and Diego Coppola respectively in the closing stages.

Ladbrokes’ Man of the Match went to Martin Ødegaard for his standout performance, netting one goal and delivering five key passes that kept Arsenal’s attack flowing. Though he didn’t register any assists or big chances created, his early strike in the 14th minute set the tone and helped secure the win. Ødegaard’s influence in midfield was clear throughout, making him the deserving pick.

Recent Premier League matches:

• Win: 2-1 vs Brighton & Hove Albion (H)
• Win: 1-0 vs Everton (A)
• Win: 2-1 vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (H)
• Loss: 1-2 vs Aston Villa (A)
• Win: 2-0 vs Brentford (H)

Recent Premier League matches:

• Loss: 1-2 vs Arsenal (A)
• Draw: 0-0 vs Sunderland (H)
• Loss: 0-2 vs Liverpool (A)
• Draw: 1-1 vs West Ham United (H)
• Loss: 3-4 vs Aston Villa (H)

Arsenal have just beaten Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1, maintaining their position at the top of the table with 42 points after a strong run including wins over Everton and Wolverhampton Wanderers. They face Aston Villa next on 2025-12-30 at 20:15, with the opponents sitting third on 39 points after handing Arsenal a recent defeat. This clash could be crucial for Arsenal in pulling further clear at the summit.

Brighton & Hove Albion have just lost 2-1 to Arsenal, leaving them 12th on 24 points amid a poor streak with no wins in their last five, including draws with Sunderland and West Ham United. Their next fixture is against West Ham United on 2025-12-30 at 19:30, with the opposition in 18th on 13 points and struggling. A positive result here could help Brighton climb away from mid-table mediocrity.

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Odds and market details are accurate as of the time of publication.