Title collapse complete as Arsenal battered by brilliant Brighton

Brighton are on the brink of European qualification, at the expense of Arsenal title hopes, after soaring to a 3-0 victory at Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

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The defeat leaves Arsenal (81 points – 2nd place) four points behind Manchester City, with the two-time defending Premier League champions having three games left to play, to Arsenal’s two. A home victory over Chelsea next Sunday (11 am ET) will see Manchester City make it three straight PL titles — provided Arsenal win to remain mathematically in the hunt on Saturday.

Three more points put Brighton (58 points) in pole position for 6th place and a spot in next season’s Europa League. The Seagulls are already a point above both Tottenham and Aston Villa, with two games in hand. 5th-place Liverpool sit four points ahead having played one more game thus far.

WATCH ARSENAL vs BRIGHTON FULL MATCH REPLAY

Brighton were slower out of the starting gates on Sunday with just one shot in the game’s opening half-hour, before Roberto De Zerbi’s side found its footing and began to push back. The tide started to turn are the 35-minute mark, and indeed it was Brighton who broke the deadlock shortly after halftime.

For all the pretty possession on display, it was a mis-hit, bouncing cross headed home from six yards out that ultimately did the trick for Brighton. Pervis Estupinan’s cross took a big bounce to clear the near-post defender and find Julio Enciso, who had perched himself atop the six-yard, for a simple header past Aaron Ramsdale.

The second goal came on 87 minutes as Arsenal made widespread changes and pressed for an equalizer. A poor giveaway turned into a quick transitional moment for the Premier League’s preeminent