Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes take an enormous hit as Declan Rice experiment proves a step too far

The Gunners took the lead within the first-half by way of Ethan Nwaneri, who regardless of being 17, scored his second Premier League aim of the season.

The Brazilian received a penalty in an uncommon style after referee Anthony Taylor pointed to the spot following a conflict of heads with William Saliba.

Pedro made no mistake with the penalty and Arsenal had been left to rue what would have been an enormous probability to shut the hole on Liverpool.

Simon Collings was on the Amex to see Arsenal in motion…

There are nonetheless 18 video games left on this Premier League season, however Arsenal’s title hopes are really hanging by a thread.

The Gunners had 40 factors at this stage of the season final 12 months, nevertheless they had been in a position to roar again into the title race with a surprising run.

Arsenal received 16 of the ultimate 18 league video games, solely surrendering the title to Manchester Metropolis on the ultimate day.

The temper and feeling now, nevertheless, feels very totally different. Final January, Arsenal had three video games and a visit to Dubai to reenergise.

This time, they’ve 9 video games and their squad resembles the strolling wounded. Arteta faces an enormous process to choose them up off the ground after this draw at Brighton.

This has been an enormous week for Nwaneri, who made his first begin within the Premier League on New 12 months’s Day when Arsenal travelled to Brentford.

After a formidable efficiency there, the 17-year-old stored his place within the facet for this conflict on the Amex.

And, after simply 16 minutes, Nwaneri confirmed why Arteta views him as a real possibility on the best flank within the absence of Bukayo Saka.

Performed in by Mikel Merino, {the teenager} raced in direction of aim and completed low previous Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen to place the Gunners forward.

In doing so, Nwaneri made historical past as he turned the primary Arsenal participant in historical past two rating two Premier League objectives earlier than their 18th birthday.

The midfielder had a number of shiny moments within the first-half, however there have been additionally some unfastened ones, too. At occasions, he was responsible of being caught in possession when attempting to beat an opposition defender.

It was what you’d count on from a 17-year-old, nevertheless, and the actual fact he was hooked at half-time can also have been because of the truth Nwaneri was booked within the remaining moments of the first-half.

When he started his youth profession as a centre-back, it’s arduous to suppose Declan Rice would have think about that he would at some point basically be enjoying as an attacking midfielder.

That was the function Rice discovered himself in right here at Brighton, although, as Arsenal’s unhealthy run with accidents took it toll on them once more.

Already with out Saka on account of his hamstring harm, Kai Havertz missed out once more on account of sickness and Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard had been solely match sufficient for the bench.

It meant Arsenal had been, basically, with out their 4 greatest attackers and the staff picked by Arteta underlined that. Jorginho, Merino, Partey and Rice had been all within the XI.

Rice was tasked with enjoying for granted No8, pushing excessive up the pitch to assist striker Gabriel Jesus in the identical approach Odegaard does.

The England midfielder obtained by way of loads of operating, particularly with out the ball, and helped created Nwaneri’s aim by linking up properly with Merino.

That, although, was a uncommon second of high quality on an in any other case tough night for Arsenal, the place their assault struggled to create.