Arsenal‘s 1-1 draw against Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League on Saturday became more costly with the injury of 17-year-old goal-scorer Ethan Nwaneri. Manager Mikel Arteta attributed the loss of points to basic errors by his team. Nwaneri, who stepped in for the injured Bukayo Saka on the right wing, scored in the 16th minute but had to leave the pitch at halftime due to a muscle problem, after which Arsenal conceded a penalty, losing two crucial points in the title challenge.
“It’s really unfortunate news, as I believe we’ve lost him (Nwaneri). We had to substitute him at halftime due to some muscular issues,” Arteta told the BBC.
Nwaneri’s exit marked a turning point for Arsenal, who lost momentum against a Brighton team that found it difficult to create opportunities. The draw left Arsenal in second place, trailing Liverpool by five points with Liverpool holding two games in hand.
“In the second half, we didn’t take control of the game or exert enough pressure to create significant chances and pose a threat on their half, although defensively we didn’t concede much,” Arteta commented.
“Today wasn’t a matter of exhaustion; it focused on executing the basics during ball possession to create opportunities and control the game effectively in the right zones,” the Spaniard remarked. Arteta labelled the penalty given to Brighton for the head collision between Joao Pedro and Arsenal defender William Saliba as puzzling. “We are truly frustrated with the decision that resulted in the goal, as I’ve never witnessed anything like it before. He (Saliba) also made contact with the ball,” Arteta stated.
