Gabriel Martinelli was wasteful as Arsenal were beaten 2-0 by Newcastle (Image: Getty)
Arsenal have a mountain to climb to reach the Carabao Cup final after being beaten 2-0 by at the Emirates. The visitors turned in a superb display, resolute in their defending and then a real threat when the chance came to attack as goals from Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon put them in control of the tie.
After Gabriel Martinelli had fired against the post, Isak opened the scoring after 37 minutes, latching onto keeper Martin Dubravka’s long ball forward and smashing the ball high into the net.
He also had a hand in the second six minutes after the interval, forcing David Raya into a save before Anthony Gordon tapped in the rebound.
Express Sport looks at the player ratings…..
Arsenal player ratings vs Brighton
David Raya 5
Could do little about the opening goal, but only managed to push Isak’s shot into Gordon’s path for the second. Almost made a hash of one low cross and now just one clean sheet in six.
Jurrien Timber 6
Good going forward but headed a decent early chance over and struggled to track Gordon when broke.
William Saliba 6
Also nearly scored at 0-0 but his close range shot was blocked. Did well to thwart Harvey Barnes in the area as a counter-attack nearly led to a third for the visitors.
Gabriel Magalhaes 5
Caught in no man’s land for the first goal as the ball was pumped long into the box, and failed to stop Isak’s shot for the second. Undoubtedly lost his overall battle with the Swedish striker.
David Raya is beaten by Alexander Isak’s shot. (Image: Getty)
Myles Lewis-Skelly 7
Looks a real prospect. A threat going forward and accomplished with the ball at his feet. Not imtimidated either and notably won one physical tussle with Sandro Tonali.
Martin Odegaard 7
As always, looked to get on the ball but lacked his usual high quality. Put one free-kick wastefully into the wall.
Thomas Partey 5
One driving run in the first half led to an Odegaard free-kick on the edge of the area. But faded after the break, began to cough up possession and was hooked before the hour mark.
Declan Rice 7
Another found wanting for Isak’s strike as he failed to track the run of the forward. But did his best to influence matters and frequently supplied the front three with passes – often to no avail.
Don’t miss…
Leandro Trossard 6
One defence-splitting pass in the first half should have led to taking the lead and was lively in the opening stages. But seemed to struggle with a knock thereafter before being replaced.
6
The same problem continues. Neat in possession, linked well, movement good, but when his big chance came in the second half made a complete mess of it – mistiming a header from point blank range as the ball came off his shoulder.
Gabriel Martinelli 5
Wasteful in front of goal. Blasted against the post when clean through in the first half and it proved critical. Also volleyed wildly over as the hosts pressed to get back in it at 2-0.
Substitutes
Jorginho (for Partey, 59) 7
Tried to influence matters and had one driving shot blocked, and another narrowly over in the final moments.
Gabriel Jesus (for Trossard, 59) 6
Had the chance to extend his recent goal run but headed off target.
Oleksandr Zinchenko (for Lewis-Skelly, 79) 6
Essentially thrown on as a left-winger but managed to get himself booked for hacking down Joelinton.