Brighton vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction as Gunners extend lead at the top
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal take on Brighton with hopes of maintaining their lead at the top of the Premier League table
Premier League leaders Arsenal moved seven points clear at the top going into the new year after a glorious Gabriel Martinelli goal capped a thrilling 4-2 victory at Brighton.
Goals from Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Eddie Nketiah set the Gunners on course for a fifth consecutive top-flight success to cement their status as serious title contenders.
Kaoru Mitoma reduced Albion’s deficit 25 minutes from time before Martinelli, aided by a wonderful Odegaard assist, raced half the length of the pitch to stylishly restore the three-goal advantage.
Seagulls substitute Evan Ferguson increased the tension going into the final stages by claiming his first Premier League goal, while Mitoma thought he had set up a grandstand finish, only for his 89th-minute strike to be disallowed for offside.
Despite the unwanted anxiety of the late drama, the in-form visitors held on to celebrate an impressive victory and take a healthy advantage into 2023.
Follow all the reaction from Brighton vs Arsenal in the Premier League:
Wolves 0-0 Man Utd
9 mins: Manchester United are moving the ball slickly. One and two touch passes combined with runs into space sees them maintain the pressure on the edge of the Wolves box.
Anthony Martial is given the ball and flicks one into the penalty area for Bruno Fernandes but he’s blocked off by Max Kilman and the ball skips through to Jose Sa.
Wolves 0-0 Man Utd
6 mins: Chance! Manchester United win the first corner of the game and Christian Eriksen whips a fine ball into the box as Casemiro makes a run towards the near post.
He meets it with a decent header but the effort strikes Matheus Nunes who deflects it over the crossbar!
Wolves 0-0 Man Utd
3 mins: Nelson Semedo bombs forward on the right wing and gets past Alejandro Garnacho before running into Tyrell Malacia. Garnacho grabs his shirt and tugs back to the Wolves defender resulting in a free kick for the hosts.
Joao Moutinho swings the set piece into the box but sends it over everyone and the ball goes behind for a goal kick.
Kick off: Wolves 0-0 Man Utd
Dressed in their white kit, Manchester United get the match underway at Molinuex. They work the ball around the back line before looking to pick out Antony on the right wing but the ball rolls out of play for a Wolves throw in.
Wolves vs Man Utd
Here come the players.
Bruno Fernandes warmly shakes the hands of his Portugal team mates Jose Sa and Ruben Neves as the two teams line-up in the tunnel.
Man Utd will move ahead of Tottenham into fourth place if they win this afternoon which will by a great end to the year for Erik ten Hag’s men.
Wolves are hoping to pick up three points today in order to get out of the relegation zone.
Martial back in form
Anthony Martial has been directly involved in five goals in his last six Premier League appearances for Manchester United (scoring three and assisting two), one more than in his previous 21 games under Ralf Rangnick, Michael Carrick and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Will Man Utd end the year on a high?
Manchester United have conceded 39 Premier League away goals in 2022, a joint-league high alongside Brentford but the Red Devils are the only team to have won every Premier League match in which they have led this season (nine wins out of nine).
They have not lost their final league game in any of the last 10 calendar years (won seven, drawn three). Their last such loss, a 3-2 defeat at Blackburn in 2011, was also their only Premier League defeat on New Year’s Eve.
It’s a wonderful time of year for Wolves
Since their return to the Premier League in 2018, Wolves have scored eight 90th-minute winning goals in the competition, including one against Everton last time out. Only Liverpool (10) and Tottenham (nine) have netted more in this period.
Wolves have lost just one of their last nine league games played on New Year’s Eve (four wins, four draws), though it was in their last such match, at home to QPR in 2016.
Erik ten Hag hunting cut-price solution to Manchester United’s striker hole
Erik ten Hag has vowed to get creative in his bid to find Manchester United a striker for a cut-price fee in the January transfer window.
United’s funds are limited as they look for a replacement for the departed Cristiano Ronaldo after they spent over £200 million in the summer.
They missed out on PSV Eindhoven forward Cody Gakpo, a player Ten Hag liked, after Liverpool were able to meet the £35 million asking price for the Netherlands international, and United will consider loan signings in their attempt to bolster their attack.
Erik ten Hag hunting cut-price solution to Manchester United’s striker hole
United missed out on Cody Gakpo and are searching for a Cristiano Ronaldo replacement in the January transfer window
Rashford dropped for disciplinary reasons
Manchester United boss, Erik ten Hag, spoke about why Marcus Rashford is starting on the bench today and in his pre-match press duties said that Rashford is not in today’s starting XI because of “internal disciplinary” reasons.
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