Arsenal 1-2 Brighton: So that is what it feels like to win a game of football

The most surprising thing about Arsenal 1-2 Brighton was how unsurprising the result was. After seven games without a win in which the Albion had scored only once, of course they would go to the Emirates Stadium and beat a Gunners side fifth in the table and chasing a Champions League spot.

Three points in North London should end any lingering doubts about whether Brighton might get pulled into the relegation battle.

It also showed what is possible when the Albion play quick, slick football on the break, deliver early crosses into dangerous areas and take first time shots.

The main accusation thrown at Graham Potter and his players during the barren months of February and March is that their football was boring. It was too slow and involved stroking the ball from side-to-side.

Possession stats seemed more important than goals, which is why the Amex crowd took to shouting SHOOT in the 0-0 draw with Norwich City.

Potter then trying to claim that the players found this challenging was one of the most bizarre post-match interviews since Micky Adams said his team needed a hug after losing at home to Huddersfield Town in 2009.

Because shooting is not a challenge. Leandro Trossard proved that with a magnificent opening goal. Enock Mwepu then did similar in the second half and although the Gunners pulled one back, nobody watching could deny that a final score of Arsenal 1-2 Brighton was deserved, even if the Seagulls were hanging on a bit by the end.

The challenge facing Potter is that he is approaching the end of his third season in charge of the Albion and he is still yet to find a way to overcome Premier League opponents who want to defend.

His record as manager at the Amex is poor. Visitors know they can sit deep and let Brighton have the ball because chances are the Seagulls will not find a way through.

Norwich last week. Aston Villa and Burnley in February. Newcastle and The Leeds United earlier in the season. Fulham, West Brom, Crystal Palace, Sheffield United, Burnley in 2020-21.

The list of clubs to have left Sussex with points employing defensive tactics is endless. Compare that to Brighton’s record away – when hosts tend to attack and the Albion can play on the counter – or against the European Super League Elite Six and you see a marked difference.

Good news then for days out like Arsenal 1-2 Brighton. And Spurs and Manchester City to come. At the Emirates, the sun shone and so did Brighton, helped by Potter’s decision to play with a back three.

There were still a few eyebrows raised when the team was announced. It looked like Potter was on an episode of Taskmaster and his challenge was to cram as many central midfielders into the starting XI as possible.

He managed to fit in five and it worked beautifully. Mwepu, Yves Bissouma, Alexis Mac Allister, Pascal Gross and Moises Caicedo making his Premier League debut made up the quintet.

Gross played wide on the right, Bissouma sat deep, Caicedo and Mwepu buzzed around just in front with Mac Allister in support of lone striker Danny Welbeck.

Most intriguing was the selection of Trossard out on the left. The Vampire of Genk had scored and claimed two assists from left wing back for Belgium against Burkina Faso during the March international break.

For much of his Albion career, he has been used centrally by Potter; based on what we saw at the Emirates, Brighton should consider copying how Roberto Martinez deploys Trossard more often.

He opened the scoring midway through the first half when drifting in unnoticed from his flank. Lewis Dunk hit a long ball into the right channel, where the outstanding Mwepu brought it under control.

The Computer then pulled a low cross back to the edge of the box for Trossard to dip an effort over Aaron Ramsdale. Cue bedlam in the away end followed by a chorus of “We’ve scored a goal!” And some goal it was too.

Arsenal thought they had equalised on the stroke of half time. Gabriel Martinelli headed home after Garbiel turned a corner back across goal.

A VAR check that took longer to complete than the Grand National later on Saturday evening eventually ruled Martinelli had a finger nail offside.

We have always said that VAR is a wonderful invention and making an important difference to football and that was in evidence here.

Even more so when it left Sussex resident and glory hunting Gunners fan Piers Morgan to have the sort of meltdown he normally reserves for when he is upset by the Good Morning Britain weatherman.

Having lost 3-0 to Crystal Palace on Monday night, Arsenal fans became increasingly impatient as the second half wore on and they struggled to make inroads. The Albion were thriving, playing some good football on the break.

Mwepu was leading the charge in that regard. At one point, he won possession in the Albion’s right back position, nutmegged Emile Smith-Rowe to start a move that proceeded to earn Brighton a corner.

It was from another excellent move and break that the visitors doubled their lead just past the hour mark. Cucurella found Caicedo, he played a one-two with Trossard involving a back heel from the Belgian which set Caicedo into space on the by-line.

One perfectly dinked ball back to the edge of the box later and Mwepu was on hand to guide a volley past Ramsdale without so much as breaking stride.

It was the sort of goal that would have been shown on a constant loop by Sky Sports News had it been scored by the great Arsenal sides Arsene Wenger used to produce in the 2000s.

Of course, no modern-day Gunners fan was appreciating the beauty of it. Brighton supporters may be criticised for leaving the Amex early, but it was noticeable through the blue smoke of the traditional celebratory flare launched from the away end that people were streaming out of the home sections as soon as the Albion went 2-0 ahead.

Those departing with 20 minutes still to play missed Arsenal enjoy their best spell. Martin Odegaard and Sambi Lokanga both hit the bar as the Gunners poured forward in search of a way back into the game.

Odegaard did make it Arsenal 1-2 Brighton with a distance effort that may have taken a deflection to evade Robert Sanchez.

Questions have been asked about the young Albion goalkeeper in recent weeks but in a tense six minutes of time added on, he showed his quality with a couple of important stops.

The best came when Sanchez somehow clawed away a header from Eddie Nketiah, the sort of outrageous stop we almost took for granted that he would make every week during the second half of last season.

When the final whistle eventually blew on Arsenal 1-2 Albion, there was a real sense of relief around the away end.

To beat opponents as good as the Gunners, you need a bit of luck and the Seagulls certainly had that with the VAR decision and the intervention of the crossbar.

Nobody from Good Old Sussex by the Sea was complaining though. Ending the winless run lifts the pressure on Brighton and allows them to play with freedom over the coming weeks.

Spurs away? City away? Would anyone be surprised if we went and got results from (another) trip to North London or Manchester? And then followed that by failing to beat Southampton at the Amex?

It is the Brighton way.