Lacazette goal sinks Brighton; Arsenal win 1-0, take pressure off manager Arteta

Lacazette had just come on when Bukayo Saka turned from inside his own half and made a superb run down the right before pulling the ball back to him

AP, Brighton,

Dec 30 2020, 10:20 ist
updated: Dec 30 2020, 10:36 ist

Arsenal's French striker Alexandre Lacazette celebrates scoring his team's only goal during the English Premier League football match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Arsenal at the American Express Community Stadium in Brighton, southern England. Credit: AFP

Alexandre Lacazette came off the bench and scored with his first chance as Arsenal won 1-0 at Brighton to take some pressure off coach Mikel Arteta with a second straight victory.

Lacazette had just come on when Bukayo Saka turned from inside his own half and made a superb run down the right before pulling the ball back to him.

Lacazette took one touch to control the ball just inside the penalty area before driving a shot inside the right post in the 66th minute.

Arsenal moved up to 13th place and a relieved Arteta hugged his assistants at the final whistle.

He can also thank Lacazette.

It was his second straight goal after scoring a penalty in the 3-1 win against Chelsea on Saturday, where defeat may have cost Arteta his job.

But he was perhaps surprisingly replaced as lone striker by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who has been short of the form which made him arguably the league's most dangerous striker last season.

Aubameyang has scored 57 Premier League goals since joining Arsenal nearly three years ago.

He should have had No. 58 when, with his first chance in the 50th minute, he met Saka's left-wing cross but steered his close-range shot straight at goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.

Moments later, Arsenal's 19-year-old Brazilian forward Gabriel Martinelli shot narrowly over the crossbar from just inside the penalty area, and then Aubameyang fluffed a counter-attack when he tried a difficult curling shot instead of picking out midfielder Emile Smith Rowe in a better position.

Saka went off late after taking a knock to his ankle, but the injury did not appear serious and he sat in the stands to watch the remainder of the encounter.

Brighton had the better of a drab first half, with Alireza Jahanbakhsh having a shot saved and shooting wide with another chance, with both attempts following crosses from Brazilian Bernardo.

Arsenal travels to play next-to-last West Bromwich Albion on Jan. 2 while 17th-place Brighton hosts Wolves that day.

West Brom lost 5-0 at home to Leeds on Tuesday.