Game all but over for Arsenal now, as robust Brighton effectively administer last rites

Arsenal (0) 0

Brighton (0) 3 Enciso 51, Undav 83, Estupinian 90

So this is how a great season effectively ends for the defeated.

No adulation and tickertape, only bitter frustration on a day of under-performance and regrets.

Arsenal’s hopes of taking the Premier League title race to the final weekend are all but extinguished after an ill-tempered and frustrating affair.

They seemed tired, and miles off the pace. It was a gloomy way to throw in the towel.

The ambition of pulling off an unlikely first crown since 2004 suffered a fresh setback just before kick-off, when Man City made no mistake in their lunchtime game at Everton, winning 3-0.

But hopes of bringing the gap back to a point – albeit having played a game more – were scuppered by a Seagulls team once more inspired by the surroundings.

They defeated the Gunners 3-1 in the Carabao Cup earlier in the campaign and seemed intent on baring their teeth at the Emirates all over again.

They were in no mood to be mere also-rans in the title-race narrative and fully deserved their victory.

The result leaves Man City effectively needing just two points from their remaining three games to be sure of retaining the title – given their vastly superior goal difference.

They might not even need to beat Chelsea next Sunday to clinch it, should Arsenal lose at Forest Saturday team-time.

Arsenal were hoping to follow up last week’s defiant win at Newcastle with more success against a team with European qualification ambitions, but a first half full of brittle, broken play, biting tackles and stop-start rhythms did little to inspire optimism.

Gabriel Martinelli had to hobble off early on after being clattered by Gunners summer target Moises Caceido and apart from a shot that clipped the top of the crossbar by his replacement Leandro Trossard, not too much raised pulses in the right way.

The size of the task became even more pronounced when obdurate Brighton - stung into response mode after being thrashed by Everton last week – stole ahead early in the second half.

Pervis Estupinian overlapped down the left and had two bites at getting in a cross – the second of which looped up for Julio Enciso to nod over the line from no distance.

The young Paraguayan – who scored a wonder goal in a win at Stamford Bridge not so long ago – went close twice in the first half and was an unsurprising scorer.

Reiss Nelson came on and whistled a shot just wide of the far post, but this was a flat performance against a team that had the physicality to knock them off their tired stride.

A second Brighton goal always looked more likely than an Arsenal equaliser and late in the piece, sub Deniz Undav was found in acres of space in front of an advancing Aaron Ramsdale, and his lob did the rest.

Estupinian rubbed salt in those very raw wounds by scoring in a breakaway at the death. Not that Arsenal or their fans needed telling that their race is surely run.

Gunners: (4-3-3) Ramsdale – White, Kiwior, Gabriel, Tierney – Odegaard (Smith Rowe 77), Jorginho (Partey 60), Xhaka (Nelson 60) – Saka, Jesus (Nketiah 77), Martinelli (Trossard 19). Subs not used: TurnerN Holding, Vieira, Walters

Seagulls: (4-2-3-1) Steele – Gross, Colwill, Dunk, Estupinan – Caicedo, Gilmour (Welbeck 60) – Enciso (Undav 82), Mac Allister, Mitoma – Ferguson (Buonanotte 77). Subs not used: McGill, Ayari, van Hecke, Offiah, Moran, Peupion