Table-topping Arsenal responded to Manchester City’s comeback victory over Liverpool by defeating a spirited Leeds United, extending the Gunners’ winning streak to seven Premier League games on the bounce.Heading into the game, Leeds boss Javi Gracia had lost just once since taking charge, and that momentum seemingly continued early on at the Emirates Stadium. The visitors made the better start with Crysencio Summerville looking particularly lively, yet it was the league leaders who took the lead. Having headed over from an enticing Granit Xhaka cross, the returning Gabriel Jesus made amends when he was chopped down by Luke Ayling in the box, and in the absence of usual penalty-taker Bukayo Saka, he dusted himself off to score from the spot. With halftime approaching, Illan Meslier was almost left red-faced after a poor clearance, but Ayling somewhat atoned for his foul, clearing Gabriel Martinelli’s effort away from the goal line.GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Leeds United (Jesus) #ARSLEE pic.twitter.com/u6l4Lkuktq— The Premier League Club (@TPLCSports) April 1, 2023 The Gunners haven’t lost a league game in which they have led at halftime this season, and an electric start to the second period quickly produced a second goal for the hosts, leaving Leeds with a mountain to climb. Martinelli weaved his way past Ayling down the left, finding space to deliver a tantalising ball for former Leeds man Ben White, who converted at the back post. By this stage, Mikel Arteta’s side were firmly in control, and with less than an hour played, the contest was practically put to bed. Leandro Trossard displayed terrific close control to find space in the box before picking out Jesus, who finished from close range, bagging a brace in the process.BEN WHITEEEEE 2-0 ARSENAL pic.twitter.com/KRtTeGhw63— Renato (@rehnato) April 1, 2023 GABRIEL JESUS MAKES IT 3-0 ARSENAL pic.twitter.com/d7dzrryvOV— Renato (@rehnato) April 1, 2023 Rasmus Kristensen’s heavily deflected effort deceived Aaron Ramsdale to make it 3-1 with less than 15 minutes to play, but Granit Xhaka’s header extinguished any distant hopes of a comeback soon after. Victory re-establishes Arsenal’s eight-point lead at the top of the Premier League table, albeit having played a game more than Manchester City. Meanwhile, Leeds sit precariously above the bottom-three on goal difference alone.GOAL! Arsenal 3-1 Leeds United (Kristensen) #ARSLEE pic.twitter.com/b3paGkOiJL— The Premier League Club (@TPLCSports) April 1, 2023 Xhaka’s header makes it 4-1! #afc pic.twitter.com/1sH3AaHUK7— DailyAFC (@DailyAFC) April 1, 2023 Elsewhere, Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford played out a Premier League classic, and fittingly there was nothing to separate the sides as a late Alexis Mac Allister penalty earned the Seagulls a hard-fought point. The hosts had to chase the Bees three times in the match regardless of having dominant statistics on their side.The Brighton v Brentford stats are even more mental pic.twitter.com/T0obkXfcHe— James 💝🏏⚽️ (@jamesash89) April 1, 2023 When Kaoru Mitoma burst clear on goal inside the opening five minutes, a last-ditch Ethan Pinnock challenge could claim an indirect assist for Brentford’s opener that arrived shortly after. Brighton were caught napping from a corner, with Pontus Jansson left unmarked to head home Mathias Jensen’s wicked delivery as the Bees stung early to take the lead. One of football’s stranger sights then ensued, when Jason Steele picked up a Pervis Estupiñán backpass, but Jensen’s subsequent strike was blocked by an 11-strong Brighton wall.Brentford scores pic.twitter.com/hJ68kfwHAD— THOMAS 🇬🇭🇬🇧 (@lfcyaw) April 1, 2023 From zero to hero, Steele was then involved in Brighton’s equaliser with another rare sight – an assist from a goalkeeper. Steele’s hopeful joist forward evaded the Brentford backline and Mitoma was onto it like a flash to lift a sumptuous effort over the stranded David Raya. But as the ancient footballing proverb goes, you’re most vulnerable when you’ve just scored and that rang true for Brighton when Ivan Toney fired Brentford back in front just 80 seconds later, as the England international clinically finished after the Seagulls were caught out from their own throw-in.GOAL! Brighton 1-1 Brentford (Mitoma) #BHABRE pic.twitter.com/SWbV8RtAyg— The Premier League Club (@TPLCSports) April 1, 2023 GOAL! Brighton 1-2 Brentford (Toney) #BHABRE pic.twitter.com/BfXQpPA2Vb— The Premier League Club (@TPLCSports) April 1, 2023 It wasn’t just Brighton who succumbed to that though, as it was Brentford’s turn to concede shortly after scoring next, with Danny Welbeck heading Brighton level on his 400th league appearance a little under six minutes later. That turned out to be the final goal of a frantic half of football, though that was largely down to the heroics of Raya who produced a super stop to deny Mac Allister. The basketball-like nature of this game continued after the break, and inside five minutes of the restart Brentford took the lead for the third time of the afternoon, with Pinnock powering in at the back post to slam home Bryan Mbeumo’s delivery.GOAL! Brighton 2-2 Brentford (Welbeck) #BHABRE pic.twitter.com/NVQ2Mc3MSx— The Premier League Club (@TPLCSports) April 1, 2023 Brighton 2×3 Brentford⚽ Ethan Pinnock🎯 Bryan Mbeumo#PremierLeague #PremierLeagueNaESPN pic.twitter.com/7uwJay77Mv— ⚽️ Joga Komigo ⚽️ (@jogakomigo) April 1, 2023 In keeping with the pattern of the game, the game then swung back in Brighton’s favour, but the Seagulls were wasteful in front of goal, encapsulated perfectly by Lewis Dunk’s glaring miss with a free header from six-yards out. Roberto de Zerbi’s men continued to probe in the face of adversity, and eventually bore the fruits of their labour when Aaron Hickey blocked Deniz Undav’s shot with his hand, and Mac Allister stepped up to send Raya the wrong way from the subsequent penalty and secure a precious point to ensure it’s ‘as you were’ as far as Brighton and Brentford’s respective European pushes go.GOAL | Brighton 3-3 Brentford ⚽ Mac Allisterpic.twitter.com/b3QT7H4vBK— VAR Tático (@vartatico) April 1, 2023 PREMIER LEAGUE – ROUND 29SaturdayMan City – Liverpool 4-1 (1-1)/Alvarez 27, De Bruyne 46, Gundogan 53, Grealish 74 – Salah 17/Arsenal – Leeds 4-1 (1-0)/Jesus 33 pen, 55, White 47, Xhaka 85 – Kristensen 76/Bournemouth – Fulham 2-1 (0-1)/Tavernier 50, Solanke 79 – Pereira 16/Brighton – Brentford 3-3 (2-2)/Mitoma 21, Welbeck 28, MacAllister 90 pen – Jansson 10, Toney 22, Pinnock 49/Crystal Palace – Leicester 2-1 (0-0)/Iversen 59 og, Mateta 90+5 – Pereira 56/Nott.Forest – Wolverhampton 1-1 (1-0)/Johnson 38 – Podence 83/19:30: (1.70) Chelsea (3.80) Aston Villa (5.70)Sunday16:00: (1.80) West Ham (3.60) Southampton (5.20)18:30: (2.55) Newcastle (3.40) Man.Utd. (2.95)Monday22:00: (3.50) Everton (3.35) Tottenham (2.25)***odds are subject to change***
