Odegaard back on target as Arsenal reclaim top spot

LONDON, Dec 27 : Arsenal ‌captain Martin Odegaard's first club goal of the season helped his side beat Brighton and Hove Albion 2-1 at home on Saturday to return to the top of the Premier League table.

For the second week running, Arsenal kicked off having been displaced by Manchester City earlier in the day and they responded once again to the challenge although what appeared on paper a routine win was fraught with late nerves.

Odegaard's season has been disrupted by a knee injury but ‌the Norwegian showed his trademark precision in the 14th minute to drive ‌a left-footed shot low past Brighton keeper Bart Verbruggen to give Arsenal a deserved lead.

Mikel Arteta's side were totally dominant and doubled their lead with a Georginio Rutter own goal in the 52nd minute - the Frenchman getting a touch to a Declan Rice corner.

Brighton had offered next to nothing as an attacking force until Diego Gomez slammed in a rebound in the 64th minute after Yasin Ayari's shot came back off the ‍post.

The visitors came on strong late on and would have equalised had Arsenal keeper David Raya not produced a stunning save to keep out Yankuba Minteh's curling effort.

It was an anxious finish but Arsenal held on to reach 42 points from 18 games with City, who beat Nottingham Forest earlier, on 40. Brighton, winless in five, ​stay 12th.

Should Arsenal go on to claim ‌the title for the first time since 2004, the narrow wins they have become so adept at grinding out will likely be a huge factor.

Last weekend they edged a 1-0 win ​at Everton while the week before that they needed a stoppage-time own goal to beat bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers.

In ⁠reality, they should have spared themselves any jitters ‌against Brighton as they spent most of Saturday