Arsenal dropped their first points of the 2024/25 season on Saturday as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Brighton & Hove Albion on home soil.

Kai Havertz handed the Gunners a first-half lead with an excellent finish but Declan Rice was sent off shortly after the break, turning the tide in Brighton’s favour.

Joao Pedro produced an equaliser shortly after Rice’s dismissal but the Seagulls were unable to grab a late winner as Arsenal held on for a point.

How the game unfolded

Arsenal started brightly at the Emirates and it took just two minutes for Bukayo Saka to test Brighton stopper Bart Verbruggen. The winger glided past Jack Hinshelwood and reached the byline before poking an effort towards the Dutch goalkeeper.

Brighton winger Yankuba Minteh kept David Raya honest with a header after just 14 minutes and Martin Odegaard could have fired Arsenal in front from close range shortly afterwards, but the Norwegian’s tame effort was too central.

The visitors began to find their feet as the first half wore on and it was Arsenal’s sloppiness that handed them their next crack at goal. Thomas Partey’s wayward pass led to a Brighton counter attack, with Kai Havertz’s misplaced header allowing Kaoru Mitoma to flash a volley wide of Raya’s goal.

Just as Brighton had taken the sting out of proceedings, Arsenal grabbed the lead in the 38th minute. Lewis Dunk was muscled off the ball far too easily by Saka, who then supplied Havertz with a lovely through ball. The German made no mistake from just outside the penalty area, delicately lifting over the onrushing Verbruggen.

The game was turned on its head just four minutes after the restart when Rice was sent off by referee Chris Kavanagh. The midfielder had been justifiably booked for a late tackle on Joel Veltman in the first half and was handed his second yellow card for kicking the ball away after fouling the Dutch defender once more. The Brighton man may have been slightly fortunate to stay on the pitch himself after swinging a boot in Rice’s direction during the incident.

It took less than ten minutes for Brighton to take advantage and equalise, and it was the hero of last weekend Pedro who netted before the hour mark. Minteh’s close-range strike was palmed into the Brazilian’s path by Raya and he fired it low past the Spanish goalkeeper with a first-time finish.

Despite being at a numerical disadvantage, Arsenal had a golden opportunity to restore their one-goal cushion. Havertz’s exquisite touch and powerful run saw him face-to-face with Verbruggen but his strike was well saved. The German then turned provider for Saka but the young winger’s lunging shot was comfortably held by the Brighton goalkeeper.

Brighton continued to throw bodies forward as they looked to press home their advantage and Yasin Ayari had the best opportunity, forcing Raya into a sprawling save. However, in the end, they were unable to put Arsenal to the sword as the Gunners held firm in defence.

GK: David Raya – 6/10 – Commanded his box well when Brighton floated balls into the area but arguably could have done better with Minteh’s shot prior to Pedro’s equaliser. Made one fine save from Ayari.

RB: Ben White – 6/10 – Had one strike that whistled past the post after a deflection off Dunk and regularly supported Saka out wide until Rice’s sending off. Largely kept Mitoma quiet.

CB: William Saliba – 8/10 – Typically assured in possession and made some important defensive contributions. Rock solid even after the red card.

CB: Gabriel – 5/10 – Not as convincing as his centre-back partner and mistimed his challenge in the build-up to Brighton’s leveller.

LB: Jurrien Timber – 5/10 – Regularly stepped into midfield from left-back and saw plenty of the ball throughout. Looked rusty in some of his physical duels with Minteh.

DM: Thomas Partey – 6/10 – Made some very good tackles but also some needless fouls, and was similarly hit-and-miss on the ball.

CM: Martin Odegaard – 6/10 – A cheeky chipped pass almost helped Arsenal take the lead early doors but he struggled to influence the match from midfield.

CM: Declan Rice – 2/10 – Booked for a lunge on Veltman before the break and then received a second for kicking the ball away. Harsh on the England midfielder but technically the correct call from Kavanagh.

RW: Bukayo Saka – 8/10 – Terrorised young Hinshelwood in the early stages and set up Havertz’s opener with some determined work and a neat pass. A constant threat on the counter attack during the second half with his speed and agility.

ST: Kai Havertz – 8/10 – Who needs a number nine, eh? Produced an excellent and clinical finish to offer Arsenal a first-half advantage and could have had an assist when he set up Saka on the break during the closing stages.

LW: Leandro Trossard – 5/10 – Couldn’t make a significant impact in the final third, managing just one shot that barely troubled Verbruggen. Sacrificed after Rice’s red card.

Substitutes

SUB: Riccardo Calafiori (59′ for Trossard) – 7/10

SUB: Gabriel Martinelli (74′ for Odegaard) – 6/10

SUB: Oleksandr Zinchenko (80′ for Timber) – N/A

Subs not used: Tommy Setford (GK), Jakub Kiwior, Jorginho, Ethan Nwaneri, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Salah-Eddine Oulad M’Hand.

Manager

Mikel Arteta – 6/10 – The complexion of the game completely altered after Rice left the pitch but Arsenal showed plenty of spirit defensively with ten men. Hard to judge the manager given the sending off.

GK: Bart Verbruggen – 6/10 – Lobbed by Havertz in the first half but made a great save to deny him after the break. Looked sharp in possession, too.

RB: Joel Veltman – 6/10 – The 32-year-old could have been sent off on another day in the midst of Rice’s red card and was at the heart of the drama.

CB: Jan Paul van Hecke – 7/10 – After an impressive display against Man Utd, the centre-back was solid up against Arsenal’s forward line.

CB: Lewis Dunk – 6/10 – Some really poor defending helped Arsenal take the lead, with his weak challenge up against Saka proving costly. Redeemed himself with an excellent pass in the build-up to Pedro’s equaliser.

LB: Jack Hinshelwood – 6/10 – Seriously struggled to handle Saka in the opening stages but showed maturity to find his feet as the game wore on.

DM: James Milner – 6/10 – Withdrawn after just 15 minutes with an injury, leaving Brighton with little experience in the engine room.

DM: Carlos Baleba – 6/10 – Billy Gilmour’s Napoli departure offered Baleba a route back into the starting lineup. He looked a little off the pace at times, though.

RW: Yankuba Minteh – 7/10 – Made a lively start down the right flank with relatively little service, with some sharp touches under pressure. A real pest after the break, too.

AM: Joao Pedro – 8/10 – Relentless in the final third with some marauding runs and clever flicks, building on a fine display against Manchester United. Scored for the second week running and often proved too much to handle.

LW: Kaoru Mitoma – 6/10 – Couldn’t better White on too many occasions and didn’t see much of the ball out on the left flank.

ST: Danny Welbeck – 6/10 – Not as impressive as he was against Man Utd last weekend and was quiet against his former employers.

Substitutes

SUB: Yasin Ayari (16′ for Milner) – 6/10 – Offered some energy in central areas after his arrival but wilted slightly in the latter stages.

SUB: Pervis Estupinan (72′ for Veltman) – 6/10

SUB: Georginio Rutter (72′ for Minteh) – 6/10

SUB: Simon Adingra (85′ for Mitoma) – N/A

SUB: Julio Enciso (85′ for Welbeck) – N/A

Subs not used: Jason Steele (GK), Igor, Adam Webster, Tariq Lamptey.

Manager

Fabian Hurzeler – 6/10 – Brighton showed good resilience to keep themselves within the game and pushed on after Rice’s red card. They may be slightly frustrated they didn’t steal a win given their advantage.

Player of the match: Joao Pedro (Brighton)

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