Brighton v Arsenal 31st Dec
Everton v Brighton 3rd Jan
31 DECEMBER 2022 -
BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION 2 (Mitoma - 65 minutes, Ferguson - 77 minutes )
ARSENAL 4 ( Saka - 2 minutes. Odegaard - 39 minutes, Nketiah - 47 minutes, Martinelli - 71 minutes )
- PREMIER LEAGUE - at the AMERICAN EXPRESS COMMUNITY STADIUM, FALMER.
For the last game in 2022, the Albion welcomed league leaders Arsenal to the Amex for a Premier League encounter, "live" in front of the Sky Sports cameras and broadcast over the airwaves on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio Sussex
Sport.
In their Boxing Day fixture the Albion had won 3-1 at Southampton and for the visit of Arsenal, Head Coach Roberto De Zerbi made two changes, one enforced, to his starting line-up, with Tariq Lamptey replacing Joel Veltman and Billy Gilmour coming in for the suspended Moises Caicedo. It was Gilmour's first Premier League start for the Seagulls.
Last time out Arsenal had beaten West Ham United 3-1 at home on Boxing Day and for the visit to the Amex, Manager Mikel Arteta made one change to his starting line-up, with Oleksandr Zinchenko replacing Kieran Tierney in defence.
Former Albion defender Ben White appeared in the Arsenal starting eleven. Last season in the Premier, the teams drew 0-0 at the Amex on the 2 October 2021 and in the return fixture at the Emirates Stadium on the 9 April 2022 the Seagulls ran out 2-1 winners, with their goals coming from Leandro Trossard (28m) and Enock Mwepu (68m) and Martin Odegaard (89m) netting a late consolation for the Gunners.
This season in the Third Round of the Carabao Cup, the Albion won 3-1 at the Emirates on the 9 November 2022, with the goals coming from Danny Welbeck, penalty (27m), Kaoru Mitoma (58m) and Tariq Lamptey (71m) after Eddie Nketiah (20m) had given Arsenal an early lead.
Albion couldn't have made a worse possible start as they found themselves a goal down within 68 seconds when Thomas Partey robbed Tariq Lamptey of the ball, found Martin Odegaard who in turn switched the ball to Gabriel Martinelli whose speculative shot from the left deflected off defenders Lewis Dunk and Levi Colwill to the unmarked Bukayo Saka who smashed the ball home to put his side ahead. 0-1. This early goal spurred Arsenal on, Albion keeper Robert Sanchez kept out a shot from Oleksandr Zinchenko and then a shot from Eddie NKetiah just missed the target. The Albion were getting themselves together and Solly March saw his snap shot turned around the post by Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale and in another raid Leandro Trossard's shot was turned over the bar by Ramsdale.
Arsenal increased their lead on 39 minutes when a corner was cleared to the lurking Odegaard whose shot from the edge of the area found the back of the Albion net. 0-2.It had been a fast and furious first-half and Arsenal deserved to be in the lead.
Half-time 0-2.
Within two minutes of the re-start the Seagulls found themselves even further behind when Sanchez let Martinelli's shot slip from his grasp and there was Nketiah to tap the ball into the net. 0-3. Albion made a double substitution on the hour, with Jeremy Sarmiento replacing Adam Lallana and the 18-year old Evan Ferguson replacing Trossard. The Seagulls pulled a goal back on 65 minutes when Billy Gilmour and Pascal Gross set-up Kaoru Mitoma, who ran through to shoot past the advancing Ramsdale. 1-3. The visitors' showed their potency in the 71st minute when Odegaard's wonderful through-ball found Martinelli who outpaced Lamptey, some feat, before slotting the ball past the on-rushing Sanchez, for his team's fourth. 1-4. The Albion were not finished and on 77 minutes Dunk's long ball found Evan Ferguson who ran on, brushing William Saliba aside in the process before rolling a shot past Ramsdale. It was Ferguson's first goal in the Premier. 2-4. The Seagulls were unfortunate not to get a third goal when Mitoma's goal was marginally ruled offside by VAR.
A cracking game to end the year 2022 and both teams left the field to a standing ovation. Final-score 2-4.
Albion had 9 shots at goal, with 5 on target and won 7 corners, free-kicks conceded - 7. Arsenal had 14 shots at goal, with 7 on target and won 4 corners, free-kicks conceded - 11.
TO SUM UP - An exciting game, with both teams thinking that the goals they conceded were preventable. The Albion badly missed the unavailable Moises Caicedo,
Alexis Mac Allister, Adam Webster and Danny Welbeck.
2023 should be good for the Albion as long as they can retain the services of their star players.
Albion line-up (4-2-3-1):- Robert Sanchez; Tariq Lamptey, Lewis Dunk (Capt),Levi Colwill, Pervis Estupinan; Billy Gilmour, Pascal Gross; Solly March (Julio Enciso 76), Adam Lallana (Jeremy Sarmiento 61), Kaoru Mitoma; Leandro Trossard (Evan Ferguson 60).
Subs not used: Jason Steele (G/K), Joel Veltman, Jan Paul Van Hecke, Ed Turns, Andrew Moran, Jack Hinshelwood.
Arsenal line-up (4-3-3):- Aaron Ramsdale; Ben White (Takehiro Tomiyasu 60), William Saliba, Gabriel Maghalaes, Oleksandr Zinchenko (Kieran Tierney 60); Martin Odegaard (Capt) (Rob Holding 87), Thomas Partey (Mohamed Elneny 74), Granit Xhaka; Bukayo Saka, Eddie Nketiah, Gabriel Martinelli.
Subs not used: Matt Turner (G/K), Cedric Soares, Fabio Vieira, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Marquinhos.
Referee: Anthony Taylor (Greater Manchester).
Yellow Cards: Albion: 3 - Billy Gilmour, Solly March, Jeremy Sarmiento.
Arsenal: 3 - Gabriel Maghalaes, Thomas Partey, Bukayo Saka.
Possession: Albion - 68%. Arsenal - 32%.
BBC Sport Player of the Match: Martin Odegaard (Arsenal).
Attendance: 31,647.
3 JANUARY 2023 -
EVERTON 1 ( Gray 1, penalty - 90+2)
BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION 4 ( Mitoma - 14mins, Ferguson - 51 mins, March 1 - 54 mins, Gross 1 - 57 mins) -
PREMIER LEAGUE - at GOODISON PARK.
For their first game of 2023, the Albion travelled to Merseyside to meet Everton at Goodison Park in a Premier League fixture, broadcast over the airwaves on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra and BBC Radio Sussex Sport.
Albion Head Coach Roberto De Zerbi made four changes to his starting line-up from the team which lost 2-4 at home to Arsenal on the 31 December 2022, with Joel Veltman, Moises Caicedo, Jeremy Sarmiento and Evan Ferguson coming in for Tariq Lamptey, Billy Gilmour, Adam Lallana and Leandro Trossard.
Ferguson was making his first Premier League start for the Albion and Alexis Mac Allister had to content himself with a place on the substitutes bench.
Last time out Everton had achieved a creditable 1-1 draw at Manchester City on the 31 December 2022 and for Albion's visit Manager Frank Lampard made two changes to his starting line-up from the City game, with Tom Davies and Dwight McNeil replacing Ben Godfrey and Amadou Onano (suspended). Former Albion player Neal Maupay was on the substitutes bench for the Toffees.
In their meetings last season, Everton won 2-0 at the Amex on the 28 August 2021, with their goals coming from Demarai Gray (41m) and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, penalty (58m). In the reverse fixture at Goodison Park on the 2 January 2022, the Albion won 3-2, their first-ever win at Goodison Park, with the goals coming from Alexis Mac Allister 2 (3m & 71m) and Dan Burn (21m). Toffees goals came from Anthony Gordon 2 (53m & 76m).
Everton made a bright start and early on Albion keeper Robert Sanchez was called upon to make smart saves to keep out shots from Alex Iwobi and Tom Davies. At the other end Kaoru Mitoma headed over from Solly March's cross. However, on 14 minutes the Seagulls went ahead as Moises Caicedo's exquisite cross-field pass found Mitoma who left his marker Nathan Patterson flat-footed before racing into the area and planting a right-foot shot past Everton goal-keeper Jordan Pickford. 0-1. The visitors' came close to increasing their lead on 20 minutes when 18-year old Evan Ferguson saw his shot from close-in hit the upright before bouncing back into play. Ferguson then tried his luck from distance when his shot just cleared Pickford's crossbar.
Half-time 0-1.
The Albion took control from the start of the second-half when Pervis Estupinan and Jeremy Sarmiento combined beautifully to set-up Ferguson and the Irishman netted frrom close-in for his second Premier goal in successive games.0-2. Better was to follow on 54 minutes as a slick move involving Sarmiento and Ferguson ended with March from the right skipping past two defenders before shooting past the helpless Pickford. Game over. 0-3. Three minutes later the Seagulls were out of sight as a back-pass by Idrissa Gueye fell woefully short and there was Pascal Gross to race clear before coolly chipping the ball over Pickford into the vacant Everton net. 0-4
The pocket of Albion supporters in the stadium couldn't believe their eyes as the Seagulls had just scored 3 goals in the space of 6 minutes. Andrew Moran was brought on as a substitute for March on 79 minutes, for his first taste of Premier League football. In time added on Sanchez brought down substitute Isaac Price in the box and Demarai Gray converted the resultant penalty-kick. 1-4.
The home side left the field with boos ringing in their ears whilst the Albion players celebrated with their jubilant fans.
Final-score 1-4.
Albion had 19 shots at goal, with 8 on target and won 2 corners, free-kicks conceded - 10. Everton had 10 shots at goal, with 4 on target and won 5 corners, free-kicks conceded - 8.
TO SUM UP - This was Albion's best-ever away win in the Premier and the first time they had won 3 consecutive away fixtures in the top-flight. The methods of new Head Coach Roberto De Zerbi appear to be getting through to the players and the emergence of young Irish striker Evan Ferguson (18) is encouraging. The other question is how long will the Albion be able to keep hold of the talents like Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister, going forward.
Albion line-up (4-2-3-1):- Robert Sanchez; Joel Veltman (Tariq Lamptey 71), Lewis Dunk (Capt), Levi Colwill, Pervis Estupinan; Moises Caicedo, Pascal Gross; Solly March (Andrew Moran 79), Jeremy Sarmiento (Alexis MacAllister 62), Kaoru Mitoma (Adam Lallana 78); Evan Ferguson (Julio Enciso71).
Subs not used: Jason Steele (G/K), Jan Paul Van Hecke, Billy Gilmour, Leandro Trossard.
Everton line-up (4-3-3):- Jordan Pickford; Nathan Patterson (Seamus Coleman 63), Conor Coady, James Tarkowski, Vitaly Mykolenko; Alex Iwobi, Idrissa Gueye (Neal Maupay 64), Tom Davies (Isaac Price 58); Dwight McNeil (Abdoulaye Doucoure 58), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Ellis Simms 83), Demarai Gray.
Subs not used: Asmir Begovic (G/K), Yerry Mina, Ben Godfrey, Ruben Vinagre.
Referee: Andre Marriner (West Midlands).
Yellow Cards: Albion: 1 - Evan Ferguson. Everton: 3 - Alex Iwobi, Isaac Price, Abdoulaye Doucoure.
Possession: Albion - 51%. Everton - 49%.
BBC Sport Player of the Match: Evan Ferguson (Albion)
NEXT GAME - FA CUP
Middlesbrough v Brighton at Ayrsome Park 7th January