3 standout players from Arsenal’s hard-fought win over Brighton

Of those who arrived on the pitch here, the boss witnessed some top performances which could buoy him ahead of the Aston Villa clash.

Arsenal made a good effort against Brighton; a positive and upbeat display to move the cobwebs away after some lackluster outings in recent weeks. It still ended in the usual heartbreaking tension that the home fans are now all too accustomed to, but the Gunners nonetheless deserved their victory and held out hope of a rapid improvement in performance levels.

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The fact that this happened without a number of key players in their backline like Ben White, Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber (what’s up?) only adds to the good impression made; there are a few stars in particular who have earned special credit for achieving this.

Here are three standout Arsenal players from the 2-1 home win over Brighton.

1. Declan Rice

Rice has barely put a foot wrong since arriving in 2023, but he’s playing like a man possessed this season.

The 105m star is really making his price tag look cheap with one brilliant performance after another in a title-chasing Arsenal side. Against Brighton he took things to a new level via some breathtaking runs down the right flank and some excellent tackles/interceptions to stop the outside front line in their tracks as the momentum swung in their favor.

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To produce such quality in an unfamiliar role, which was surely thrust upon him at short notice, is testament to his attitude, commitment and rich talent. He capped it all off with a wicked performance that forced an own goal, but the assist only tells a small part of the story of his truly exceptional play as Timber’s replacement.

2. Martin Odegaard

The captain brushed aside criticism for his recent efforts with a top-notch performance that went a long way in securing all three points.

According to Squawka, Odegaard produced his best creative output of the season against Brighton, creating five chances (his most in a Premier League match in 2025/26). The first-half goal also marked his first of the campaign in all competitions and it gives hope that he could yet return to his best form after some injury problems of late.

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Critics may point out that this match suited him and, therefore, one should not get too carried away with the praise – Brighton ceded much of the midfield control to Arsenal. But you can only play what’s in front of you and the team themselves have shown that there is no easy game in this league (at least not for the Gunners, it seems).

Things got tough here and Arteta needed his leaders to rise to the occasion; Odegaard did it with style.

3. David Raya

The definition of a standout player as he was barely involved for much of the match and then took the fans’ breath away with a truly astonishing save.

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That miraculous touch to tip over Yankuba Minteh’s shot was as effective a save as will ever be seen and it carries great significance: for him alone there is every chance that Arsenal would have lost two points and surrendered their lead at the top.

It also reminds the home crowd – as if a reminder were needed – that David Raya is among the best goalkeepers in world football. His acrobatic save impressed visually, but it also deserves more credit considering how little he had to do before; he still never switched off and pulled off something quite miraculous when it was most needed.

He also did well, as usual, when he faded from the back and otherwise went under the radar, which only made his shot-stopping all the more commendable.

This article was originally published on www.paininthearsenal.com as 3 standout players in Arsenal’s hard-fought win over Brighton.