Mikel Arteta dropped Alexandre Lacazette at Brighton but was grateful to the Arsenal substitute for a vital second-half goal.
Alexandre Lacazette rode to Arsenal’s rescue with the winner from the bench at Brighton and Hove Albion as a 1-0 success made it back-to-back Premier League victories since Christmas.
A seven-game winless run in the league was ended on Boxing Day as the Gunners beat Chelsea, although Mikel Arteta’s men remained in 15th place after a dismal start to the season.
Rather than build on that triumph, a further setback appeared likely for a time at the Amex Stadium on Tuesday against Brighton, whose only prior home league win in 2020 had come on Arsenal’s previous visit back in June.
But Lacazette, who lost his place in the XI to fit-again captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, scored 29 seconds after his introduction as a substitute to settle a key clash in the bottom half in Arsenal’s favour.
