Player Ratings as Saka's strike at Brighton sends Arsenal seven points clear 

Arsenal show character to get over the line at Brighton: Find out who impressed with View From The Armchair's Player Ratings

David Raya: 8/10 - the best form of defence is going to be attack for the remainder of the rest of the season, that said, same old Arsenal, always getting clean sheets and 1-0 wins I’ll take it with minimal complaints. 

Jurrien Timber: 8/10 - hard to define whether it was composure personified, or whether the nerves were flapping, all the while the game was in the balance off the back of Saka’s fortunate opener. City dropping two points at home to Forest could make this clean sheet historically significant tonight. 

Cristhian Mosquera: 7/10 - replaced William Saliba in the starting XI which would have given me palpitations in previous seasons gone by, but such is the quality of our strength in depth I have no such fears here tonight, booked on 11 minutes, but left the pitch with Arsenal 1-0 to the good.

Gabriel: 8/10 - absolute giant at the heart of the defence, Arsenal fans of a certain vintage will have no worries about keeping a clean sheet and winning 1-0, it’s in our DNA. Brighton this week, could be Bayer Leverkusen next week, gotta get used to winning games in exactly this kind of fashion. Let the record books show three points and a 1-0 victory and onto the next one, COYG!!

Piero Hincapie: 8/10 - super suave, so suave he could be in the running to be the new James Bond and there would be zero complaints here from the Armchair, clearly not biased in any way shape or form, COYG !!

Martin Zubimendi: 8/10 - is there an over reliance on this midfield foundation as we head into the business end of the season? Only time will tell over the coming weeks and months. Did a sterling job as he normally does before being replaced by Christian Norgaard with 10 minutes remaining.

Declan Rice: 9/10 - easily the best player on the pitch, a true leaders performance, coveted every blade of grass in his pursuit of the clean sheet and three precious away points.

Bukayo Saka: 8/10 - On eight minutes we watch as Starboy cuts inside, to unleash a trademark shot that wriggles its way past the Brighton keeper, through his legs, he’s not gonna be happy with that, but I’m gonna take it with both hands.

Ebere Eze: 7/10 - it does not matter how well he played, what he didn’t do, the only thing that matters is that at the end of this game the record books will show three points on the road, and he was part of a winning team.

Gabriel Martinelli: 7/10 - looked full of running early on before being replaced by Leo Trossard on 59 minutes. Showed plenty of willingness to tuck in and chase back, it’s been one of those nights again, rarely had the opportunity to spring a suprise on the Brighton defence.

Viktor Van Battering Ram Gyokeres: 7/10 - the afterglow of the Spurs performance subsides in the rear view mirror, and that box fresh skin fade is only going to win you so many brownie points, let’s have a return to your rampaging best form again please, we didn’t get it, not even close, replaced by Havertz on 59 minutes.

Substitutes:

Kai Havertz: 7/10 - time wasting and good at set pieces, same old Arsenal, there’s zero complaints here as I’ve not got to get on a train at the final whistle and head back to the smoke, it’s just three more super valuable points on the road to me, which is the mindset I would encourage every Gooner to follow, even if there are plenty more twists and turns yet.

Leo Trossard: 7/10 - gets a healthy chorus of boos from the Seagull fans. On 74 minutes we needed the finish he produced earlier this season, as the ball rolled across his body, alas it was sadly more in danger to the ballboy than the Brighton keeper.

Riccardo Calafiori: 7/10 - subbed on to replace the yellow carded Mosquera, as Arteta chose to go with a safety conscious approach as he normally does, might as well get used to it, he’s the boss, and the rewards are clearly there to be seen so far this season. Trust the process, hold your nerve, and remember worse things happen at sea and at Spurs, whatever happens, always.

Christian Norgaard: 7/10 - his experience and calmness under pressure could yet still prove to the difference this season for us on more than one front, no doubt he will be getting a full 90 minutes as we look to dispatch Mansfield next, COYG!

The superb 3,000 travelling Gooners celebrate here at the Amex celebrate after beating Brighton 1-0 pic.twitter.com/5h3ieG5mFT

— Layth (@laythy29) March 4, 2026