Arsenal mark Wenger Anniversary with comfortable victory

The Gunners overcame Brighton with a fairly routine 2-0 victory thanks to goals from Nacho Monreal and Alex Iwobi either side of half-time and they draw level on points with Chelsea in fourth place.

Arsenal almost got off to the dream start after 2 minutes. Alexandre Lacazette released a half-volley from 25 yards but he was denied a fantastic opener by the inside of the post.

The hosts continued to dominate the early stages and a period of sustained possession ended with a chance for Iwobi, after some impressive link-up play with Alexis Sanchez, but Matthew Ryan got down well to Iwobi’s effort low effort from the left-hand side of the area.

Arsene Wenger’s side then took a deserved lead through an unlikely source after 16 minutes. A dangerous free-kick by Granit Xhaka from the right flank led to a scramble in the box and Arsenal had three efforts blocked before Nacho Monreal found the back of the net from inside the area.

Brighton were very close to getting an unexpected equaliser minutes later when Solly March received a short-free kick 25 yards out. His effort thundered against the post and the rebound fell to Shane Duffy, who somehow blasted wide from close-range.

Alexandre Lacazette was presented with a great chance to double his side’s lead and continue his excellent home form when Dunk mis-controlled the ball in his own half. The Frenchman advanced goalwards but his tame effort was saved by Ryan, when he perhaps should have done better.

In the final minutes of the half, Brighton were almost victims of an excellent counter-attack from the Gunners. Five Arsenal players broke from a corner for the visitors, and Sead Kolasinac teed up Aaron Ramsey inside the box but Ryan blocked his goal-bound effort.

The second half started in the same fashion as the first, with Arsenal dominating possession and enjoying the better chances in the game.

After a number of half-chances which the visitors were equal to, the home side doubled their lead after 55 minutes. Sanchez linked up excellently with Ramsey and Lacazette, before delightfully back-heeling to Iwobi inside the box, and the Nigerian winger fired past Ryan from the right-hand side to make it 2-0.

It was then one-way traffic as Arsenal pushed for a third. Arsene Wenger's side were denied twice in quick succession as Sanchez cut inside from the left and shot goalwards but Ryan just managed to tip his effort wide of the post, and Kolasinac saw his header cleared off the line from the resultant corner.

After 67 minutes Lacazette looked destined to make it three after he was threaded through by Sanchez but Lewis Dunk recovered excellently for the away side and slid in to tackle just as the Frenchman released his shot.

In the final stages, with the game all but over as a contest, Brighton started to put some pressure on the hosts. The away fans thought they had reduced the deficit when Glenn Murray rose well to head Pascal Gross' cross into the side netting, and Davy Propper fired a shot just wide of Petr Cech's post in stoppage time.

But Arsenal held on to secure the clean sheet and another home victory to extend their impressive form at the Emirates Stadium, and keep in touch with the pack at the top of the Premier League table.