OUR THIRD CONSECUTIVE PREMIER LEAGUE WIN - EXTENDED HIGHLIGHTS - Arsenal v Brighton (2-1) - PL

After eliminating the Eagles on Tuesday, Arsenal set their sights on the Seagulls this afternoon. Brighton and Hove Albion are today's visitors to Emirates Stadium, aiming to knock the Gunners off their Premier League perch before the end of the calendar year. Mikel Arteta's men must win here to restore their two-point advantage over Manchester City, who defeated Nottingham Forest at lunchtime. Brighton meanwhile are desperate for some festive joy themselves, having still not won a game this month. Piero Hencapie is back after missing the Midweek Cup game, but Riccardo Calafiori suffered an injury in the warm-up, so Miles Lewis-Skelly comes in. Mikel Merino is the only other alteration from the win over Everton seven days ago, with Jurien Timber picking up a knock against Palace. The Spaniard's inclusion could lead to a tactical tweak in midfield, with Suvermendi, Rice and Odegaard also starting. Gabriel is back on the bench. Luis Dunck and Diego Gomez are back from one-game suspension, so Fabian Hertzler makes three changes from the stalemate against Sunderland. Jan-Paul van Gekker is the other, as he returns from illness to bolster Brighton's backline. Brighton haven't scored in two games without Danny Welbeck, but the former Gunner is on the bench today, having recovered from a back injury. Carlos Baleba's Afghan exploits continue to leave the Seagulls light in an inexperienced midfield. Off goes Viktor Jokeres with an early chance against his former side. It was a bit of a tame effort in the end. Should be scoring, Max, just as the ball just played in from Liano Trossard, another ex-Brighton player, as the ball bounces up. You're looking at Jokeres there, he should be just dinking it over Verbruggen. Now Saka, away from Dekai, but it's Pikaio Saka. Brighton do just enough to hang on. Brilliant play from Pikaio Saka, 1v1 against Dekaifa. On this right-hand side, Dekaifa just shows him on his unfavoured right foot. And to be fair, just as he gets into the penalty area, maybe he should be just pulling it across the six-yard box. Has Arsenal come forward with Erdegaard? Saka had to check his run, but he's in possession here. Pikaio Saka to go for goal. And he was off balance and sends that one well wide of the targets. Yeah, good play from Martin Erdegaard. Obviously, he just retrieved the ball. Just make sure that he feeds Pikaio Saka as well on side when the ball comes out to this right-hand side. And Pikaio Saka can't just quite wrap his left foot around it. Screwed up, couldn't control it, and Saka made profits. Options in the middle. Here's Martin Erdegaard! What a way to open your account for the season. And it was well worth the wait. The Arsenal captain leads by example here. Inside the opening 15 minutes, the Gunners lead by a goal to nil. What a goal from Martin Erdegaard. He's got a wand of a left foot that can create magic. Exactly what he's done there. Near post down to left-hand side. What a fantastic goal from Martin Erdegaard as we deservedly go 1-0 up here at the Emirates against Brighton. Rooter took a risk. Saka profits. Zoubermendie wasn't too far away from tapping that one in. Still, there's danger here for Brighton. Saka with the spectacular. And there's Mikel Merino. And it's flicked towards goal by Zoubermendie. And somehow that has stayed out. Trossard was in an offside position. Verbroggen made a brilliant save in the bedlam. Yeah, brilliant play from Pikaio Saka. Initially getting in the goal side of Routier, just putting the ball across the six-yard box. Zoubermendie couldn't quite get the end of it. Comes out to Liano Trossard. Just goes on the outside. A little dink. Saka gets his volley in. Comes back to Merino. Little flick from Zoubermendie. Really good save from Verbroggen. Little Croy flick from Zoubermendie. Excellent save from the Brighton goalkeeper. Can't. So it will just be the one added minute for the Martin Erdegaard opener. Off goes Jocarez. And he'll get there ahead of Verbroggen. And now John Brooks has a decision to make. I think Verbroggen's going to be very lucky because where he is, he's close to the touchline. And Jocarez does brilliantly. Just gets his little toe to it before Verbroggen comes out. Verbroggen knows he's going to clean him out. But I think obviously, say, the proximity to the touchline and the angle of the ball where Jocarez has just tipped it away. Merino, Trossard. He's going to be looking to cut this one back. And Erdegaard shots. Yeah, brilliant counter-attacking play from ourselves. Say that, mystery ward again. Just really good play from that right-hand side with Zoubermendie. Gets himself out to left wing. Trossard just rolls it into the path of Erdegaard. Oh, and it's gone all the way in. And for the second game in a week, Arsenal were able to profit from a known goal. Jorginho Rutek got the final touch. It was a wicked delivery by Declan Rice. The Gunners double their advantage. And they are heading towards three points and back to the top of the Premier League table. Jocarez into the penalty area and thunders that shot. Well, it's an example of what he can do with his raw power. Victor Jocarez, body strength, just shoulders fender off the ball with his right foot. Just smashes the ball. This delivery takes a wicked deflection. There's Ruta. And now Yassine Ayari off the base of the post, but then slammed in by Diego Gomez. And Brighton have one back against the run of play. It is the Paraguayan who strikes for the eighth time this season. Gomez says, come and get it. Exactly what he did. Good play from Ayari initially. Just getting the ball onto his right foot. Good shot across. David Rea gives him absolutely no chance. The ball comes up the foot of the post. And to be fair to Gomez, it's a quick finish from Gomez. Just lashes it in with his right foot. Showing a bit too much respect to Brighton at the moment. Flicks on for Minta. What a save that is. It may well be the save of the season from David Rea. Looks like he's gone into the far top right hand corner. Full length stretch save from David Rea. Push it over the crossbar. Arsenal indebted to their goalkeeper, but they need to be alert here. Oh, and FIFA will feel like he should have done better. He wants a corner kick. Interesting to see who got the final touch on this one. Saka roared on by the Arsenal fans. Dunk blocking his route through to goal. What a ball! And Martinelli should have done better. And doesn't he know it. Brilliant play down the right hand side from Declan Rice. Leaving Pikaio Saka. 1v1 against Louis Dunk. Goes on the outside. Brilliant ball across his yard box. Oh, and now Pikaio Saka to wrap things up and get Arsenal sturge. But he was well defended by Louis Dunk, who used all of his experience there to not only force Saka away from goal, but to get the crucial block in. He may have been offside anyway. Yeah, it was a great little flick from Martinelli. Louis Dunk just making sure he's chasing the lost cause, getting his block in. Arsenal really need to be careful here as the ball is curled into the penalty area. It's Kelly Oglu back for Ruta. And Sougamendi was in the right place at the right time. We've had our five minutes. There can't be much longer left to play, surely. Again, it goes back into the penalty area. And Raya takes responsibility. And Arsenal are back at the top of the table. A fifth consecutive win sees the Gunners reclaim pole position. Two points clear of Manchester City once again. Martin Odegaard's first of the season gave Arsenal a first-half lead, with Eugenio Ruta's own goal creating a cushion just shy of the hour mark. Diego Gomez then halved the deficits and with Brighton mounting a late comeback here in N5, it finishes. Arsenal 2, Brighton and Hove Albion 1.