Brighton 1-1 Arsenal player ratings: Joao Pedro penalty ensure spoils shared again | OneFootball

Arsenal missed out on the chance to put pressure on Liverpool as they were once again held to a 1-1 draw by Brighton.

The Gunners are five points behind Liverpool in the Premier League title race, but have now played two games more than the Reds. Arsenal took the lead in the first half through Ethan Nwaneri and looked comfortable.

But William Saliba conceded a penalty in the second half, which Joao Pedro converted to take a share of the points.

Brighton player ratings

Bart Verbruggen: 57%

Some questions will be asked of Bart Verbruggen on Nwaneri’s goal, allowing it to go through him. And that’s reflected in his goals prevented total of -0.61. The Dutchman did make two saves and caught one cross, though.

Joel Veltman: 68%

Joel Veltman did really well to keep Leandro Trossard quiet against his former club. The Dutchman won one tackle and possession three times in the defensive third, keeping his flank secure. He also made one interception retaining possession and three clearances. At the other end of the pitch, Veltman created one big chance, but this was all about his defensive display.

Jan Paul van Hecke: 68%

Jan Paul van Hecke helped keep Arsenal’s attack relatively quiet, protecting his goalkeeper. The Dutchman made eight clearances, more than any other Brighton player, and won three aerial duels — another high. On the ball, Van Hecke completed 63 passes, second only to centre-back partner Igor Julio.

Igor Julio: 65%

The Brazilian was solid defensively before having to come off injured midway through the second half. The fact that he injured himself in a defensive action just adds to his performance. Igor Julio made two interceptions and won possession four times, completing 94.9% of his attempted passes.

Pervis Estupinan: 66%

Pervis Estupinan was very reliable defensively for Brighton. The Ecuadorian won three tackles, more than any other player in the game. He also won seven of his 13 total duels and won possession twice. Going forward, Estupinan completed three passes into the final third and had two touches in the opposition box.

Carlos Baleba: 64%

Carlos Baleba was everywhere, as always. He won one tackle, made one interception retaining possession and won possession four times in the middle third with six ball recoveries. On the ball, the midfielder completed 93.55% of his open-play passes and boasted a retention rate of 89.58%.

Yasin Ayari: 68%

Yasin Ayari was a busy man at the base of Brighton’s midfield, expecting to hold while his teammate roamed. And the 21-year-old made two interceptions retaining possession and won two tackles. But he got involved in the attack too. Ayari should really have had a chance created, after weaving through the Arsenal midfield, but his attempted pass into space for a teammate was poor.

Brajan Gruda: 59%

A half-time casualty for Brighton, Brajan Gruda contested nine goals in the first half but didn’t win a single one. But he was the only Brighton player to hit the target in the first half and did win possession three times, including once in the final third.

Matt O’Riley: 57%

Matt O’Riley couldn’t have much impact on the game while he was on the pitch, though he did create one chance. The Dane attempted just 12 passes, with Brighton looking to bypass their own midfield in their attacks. O’Riley also won just one of his four duels.

Simon Adingra: 58%

The winger tried his best to trouble the Arsenal goal, with three shots in the match, though he failed to hit the target. He also had two touches in the opposition box and created one chance. Adingra was taken off just after the hour-mark as Brighton looked for something fresh.

Joao Pedro: 68%

Joao Pedro won a penalty after he was on the receiving end of Saliba’s accidental headbutt. And the Brazilian, Mr. Reliable from the spot, duly converted the opportunity. Since the start of last season, only Mohamed Salah and Cole Palmer (both 12) have scored more penalties among Premier League players across all competitions than Joao Pedro’s 12. The penalty was his only shot but his constant energy made sure Arsenal’s defence couldn’t rest.

Arsenal player ratings

David Raya: 66%

The Spanish goalkeeper was the busier of the two goalkeepers, having to make three saves. David Raya prevented 0.24 goals, with two of his saves coming from shots inside the box. But he was well beaten by Joao Pedro’s penalty.

Thomas Partey: 66%

At right-back again, Thomas Partey won two tackles and made one interception retaining possession. The Ghanaian also won possession five times in the defensive third, more than any other player on the night. He keeps getting better playing out of position.

William Saliba: 57%

William Saliba was the unfortunate man to concede the penalty in the second half. The Frenchman unintentionally headbutted Joao Pedro when challenging for the ball, just mistiming his attempted header to connect with the Brazilian. But he was reliably otherwise, particularly with his 93.18% retention rate, two blocked shots and three clearances.

Gabriel: 61%

Gabriel was once again good at using his strength to protect David Raya and the ball, outmuscling Brighton’s attackers when needed. But, of course, he’s not just a bully. The Brazilian had a retention rate of 91.04% and completed seven passes into the final third, just as good with the ball at his feet.

Riccardo Calafiori: 67%

Riccardo Calafiori was reliable for Arsenal on the left side of their defence, making two interceptions retaining possession and winning one tackle. The Italian also won possession four times in the defensive third and blocked one cross.

Declan Rice: 63%

Declan Rice had a lot of work to do in midfield and he chopped in with three possessions won in the defensive third and four duels one. He was also on set pieces for Arsenal and created three big chances, more than any other player.

Jorginho: 61%

Jorginho captained Arsenal from the start, playing at the base of the Gunners’ midfield. He was fairly reliable on the ball as you’d expect, completing 30 of his 35 passes. The Italian also won five of his seven duels and won possession twice. He was taken off just after the hour-mark, replaced by club captain Martin Odegaard.

Mikel Merino: 68%

Mikel Merino once again looked good in the Arsenal midfield, trying to make them tick. The Spaniard completed two passes into the penalty area and 100% of his attempted forward passes. But he was also a bit too conservative at times, with 38% of his attempted passes going forward. Defensively, Merino won possession three times in the middle third and won seven duels.

Ethan Nwaneri: 73%

The teenager was much-involved in the first half, scoring the goal with a good finish, He showed a lovely run inside the full-back to find space, before finishing under the goalkeeper. Elsewhere, he sent in four crosses and was the man on set pieces for Arsenal. But he was booked for taking too long on a corner, and was taken off at half-time to avoid a cheap sending off. Mikel Arteta didn’t want to be burned as he was in the reverse fixture.

Gabriel Jesus: 52%

Gabriel Jesus had been in good form for Arsenal, but this was a struggle. The Brazilian had two shots, one of which hit the target, but they both went down as big chances missed. He was good elsewhere, with seven touches in the opposition box, but he wasn’t the threat Arsenal needed up front.

Leandro Trossard: 63%

Leandro Trossard had an interesting game against his former club. The Belgian had two touches in the opposition box and six penalty area entries, but didn’t really feel like he was a danger to Brighton’s defence. Defensively, Trossard made four ball recoveries and two high turnovers. He wasn’t bad, but Arsenal may have hoped for a bit more in attack.

How do Squawka player ratings work?

Squawka’s new player rating system is wholly stats-based. Player scores are based on the numbers they put up across a range of on-ball events, from goals scored to tackles won.

We tailored each score to the players’ respective positions using extensive research and expertise. For example, forwards are rated on metrics like shots on target, touches in the opposition box, and big chances created. Meanwhile, centre-backs are rewarded for winning aerial duels, making blocks, successful long-range passes, etc.

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