Arsenal can celebrate the New Year in style as win at Brighton expands gap over Manchester City

Arsenal beat Brighton & Hove Albion 4-2 on Saturday as goals from Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Martinelli sent the Gunners seven points clear at the top of the Premier League.

Saka scored the opening goal after just 66 seconds before Odegaard doubled the visitors’ lead in the 39th minute on a rainswept night at the Amex Stadium.

Nketiah poked home a third just after the restart before Kaoru Mitoma briefly raised Brighton’s hopes 18 minutes later, only for Martinelli to strike in the 71st minute.

Substitute Evan Ferguson, 18, scored his first league goal with 13 minutes remaining and Mitoma thought he had brought Brighton to within a one-goal deficit but his 89th-minute effort was ruled out on VAR review for offside and Mikel Arteta’s side held on for a deserved victory.