Arsenal v Brighton player ratings: Ramsdale 5, White 4; Enciso 8, Mitoma 9

Gunners title hopes all but over after 3-0 defeat at Emirates Stadium

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  ARSENAL RATINGS: Aaron Ramsdale 5: Turned Enciso effort over bar in what was Brighton’s only effort on target in first half. No chance with first goal, lobbed for second after Trossard made a mess of the keeper’s pass out from back. Parried Udav’s shot straight to Estupinan for the third. Reuters

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  Ben White 4: Found both Enciso and Mitoma handfuls as the Brighton widemen switched flanks. Tormented by latter in run-up to Enciso’s goal and the Japanese winger had White on toast on more than one occasion. Reuters

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  Gabriel 7: Arsenal’s best defender, and probably best player, on day when many of his teammates struggled. Brazilian was solid from start to finish. PA

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  Jakub Kiwior 4: Up against a talented and physical opponent in Ferguson who held off the Pole’s challenge to shoot wide in first half. Went down holding leg just before Enciso scored and left Arsenal man down when he surely should have stayed on feet. Getty

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  Kieran Tierney 5: Back in team in place of Oleksandr Zinchenko, which many Arsenal fans felt should have happened well before the Ukrainian’s injury. But had a tough time against direct running of Enciso. Reuters

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  Jorginho 4: The fulcrum to Arsenal’s win at Newcastle last week, was left moaning at minor Brighton challenges this one as the visitors harried Arsenal’s midfield from start to finish. AFP

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  Granit Xhaka 5: Has been the heartbeat of Arsenal’s title challenge but lost battle in centre of park and both centre-midfielders were replaced midway through second half as Gunners chased game. AP

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  Martin Odegaard 6: Left dazed after taking ball full in face in first minute. Recovered to fire low strike from edge of box just wide after quarter-of-an-hour. Drilled a shot across face of goal and well wide in first-half stoppage time. Not one to remember in what has been superb season for Norwegian. EPA

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  Bukayo Saka 5: First sight of goal came just before half-time but he pulled shot wide of Steele’s near post. Like rest of Arsenal’s attackers, struggled to make impact. EPA

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  Gabriel Martinelli 5: Incredibly, not even shown yellow card for clattering into Mitoma that could easily have been red in first 10 minutes. Caicedo’s crunching tackle from behind – that should also have been at least a booking - soon after ended Brazilian’s match inside 20 minutes. Reuters

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  Gabriel Jesus 6: Had low strike from tight angle turned out for corner by Steele at his near post. Certainly cannot fault his workrate but Arsenal needed more threat in front of goal. AFP

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  SUBS: Leandro Trossard (On for Martinelli 18’) 6: Early introduction against former club and nearly opened scoring when he cut inside and clipped the Brighton bar on 30-minute mark. Hit weak shot straight at keeper in 71st minute. Awful touch led to Brighton’s second. PA

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  Reiss Nelson (On for Jorginho 60’) 6: Drilled shot centremetres wide not long after coming on. AP

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  Thomas Partey (On for Xhaka 60’) 5: Brought on to bolster midfield that had struggled to get foothold on game but failed miserably to change the script. Booked late on. Getty

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  Eddie Nketiah (On for Jesus 77’) N/A. Reuters

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  Emile Smith Rowe (On for Odegaard 77’) N/A. PA

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  BRIGHTON RATINGS: Jason Steele 7: Had away hearts in mouths trying to play ball out from back on several occasions. Blocked Jesus strike at near post with his foot that was Arsenal’s sole first-half shot on target. Surprisingly untroubled after break. EPA

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  Moises Caicedo 8: Playing at trick-back again due to injuries but was excellent away from his midfield comfort zone. Arsenal’s January transfer target should have been booked, at least, for revenge tackle on Martinelli who had clobbered Mitoma minutes earlier. Reuters

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  Levi Colwill 8: One clever ball over Arsenal defence in opening 45 minutes to Mitoma starting move that ended with Enciso stabbing good chance way over bar. Outstanding at the back alongside Dunk. Getty

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  Lewis Dunk 8: Crucial captain’s block on Arsenal attempt on goal on edge of half-time then came flying out to try and charge down Saka shot that was enough to put off the England man who shot wide. A typically committed performance from defender. Getty

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  Pervis Estupinan 8: Had game’s first booking for shove on Saka which was a far less serious challenge than either Martinelli’s or Caicedo’s that both received no card. Slightly fortuitous assist chopping cross into ground that looped straight to Enciso who scored. Good finish on rebound to make it 3-0. Getty

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  Pascal Gross 8: A key player in Brighton’s pressing game at the Emirates and made life difficult for Arsenal players in possession. A cool and clam performance from German. Harsh booking for foul on Jorginho. PA

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  Billy Gilmour 7: Former Chelsea man played his part in what an impressive Brighton performance and helped frustrate and nullify Arsenal’s midfield. AP

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  Alexis Mac Allister 7: Argentine, linked with move to Liverpool in UK media this weekend, almost put Brighton 2-0 up but fired shot just wide. Glides around the pitch and would be big surprising to see World Cup winner playing for Seagulls next season. Getty

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  Julio Enciso 8: Started on left and had game’s first shot on target when Ramsdale palmed his powerful strike over bar. Leant back and skied a decent chance later in half. Headed Brighton into the lead just after break. Caused chaos in Arsenal defence and ran himself into the ground. AFP

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  Karoru Mitoma 9: On receiving end of nasty shoulder challenge to the head by Martinelli in first half. Skinned White before setting up chance for Enciso later in half. Left same player for dead in run-up to Brighton’s goal and tormented White throughout. Getty

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  Evan Ferguson 7: Showed real strength to hold off Kiwior just before break but Irish attacker pulled shot wide of target. A real physical presence for Brighton who holds ball, has a nice touch and lets defenders know he’s about. Getty

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  SUBS: Danny Welbeck (On for Gilmour 60’) 6: Former Gunner was given warn reception by home fans after coming on. Drilled a shot couple of metres wide. PA

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  Facundo Buonanotte (On for Ferguson 77’) N/A. AP

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  Deniz Undav (On for Enciso 82’) N/A. Lobbed home Brighton’s second to kill-off Arsenal hopes on day and in the title race. Reuters

Arsenal's Premier League title hopes are all but over after their 3-0 home defeat against Brighton at the Emriates Stadium on Sunday.

The pressure was already on Mikel Arteta's side after leaders Manchester City defeated Everton 3-0 earlier in the day, increasing their lead at the top to four points.

And the Gunners went on to suffer a nightmare day on home turf as Brighton ran out convincing winners and look set to play in Europe for the first time in the club's history next season.

City will now win the title next Sunday in front of their own fans if they beat Chelsea at home, even if Arsenal defeat Nottingham Forest at the City Ground 24 hours earlier.

Arteta admitted pre-match it was must-win for Arsenal but they tasted defeat thanks to Julio Enciso's 51st-minute header and late efforts by Deniz Undav and Pervis Estupinan.

Referee Andrew Madley seemed keen to keep his cards in his pockets early on with Gabriel Martinelli and Moises Caicedo lucky to avoid punishment for reckless challenges.

Caicedo, who saw a move to Arsenal fall through in January, in a less-familiar right-back role fouled Martinelli with poor tackle from behind and it eventually forced the Brazilian off with less than 20 minutes played.

Enciso had tested Aaron Ramsdale with a firm near-post strike by this point and Martin Odegaard had sent a low shot wide.

Arsenal slowly got into their groove and Jason Steele had to kick away a Gabriel Jesus shot from a narrow angle before substitute Leandro Trossard went close against his old club.

Former Brighton player Trossard, who came on for Martinelli, was booed by the away fans and nearly gained payback after half an hour when Odegaard and Granit Xhaka exchanged passes to find the Belgian, but his swerving effort clipped the top of the crossbar from 16 yards.

Six minutes into the second half and the wheel's started to come off for Arsenal. Mitoma found the overlapping Estupinan on the left but after his first delivery had been half-cleared, his scuffed follow-up cross found its way to Enciso, who headed home.

With four minutes left it was good night to Arsenal's title challenge when Trossard's intended flicked pass hit Pascal Gross and ricocheted into the path of Undav, who lobbed over Ramsdale.

De Zerbi sprinted down the touchline to celebrate and was at it again deep into stoppage-time when Estupinan capped a fine display with a first Brighton goal after he fired home on the rebound when Ramsdale spilled Undav's effort.

You can see the player ratings from Sunday's match in the gallery above. To move on to the next photo, click on the arrows or swipe if using a mobile device.