Arsenal's Title Hopes Dented by Brighton Draw

Mikel Arteta, Arsenal's manager, expressed dismay over a controversial penalty decision in a 1-1 draw against Brighton, which could impact Arsenal's title ambitions. Arsenal took an early lead through Ethan Nwaneri, but Brighton equalized after Joao Pedro was awarded a penalty following a head clash with defender William Saliba. Arteta criticized the decision, stating he had never seen such a call in his career, as VAR confirmed the penalty despite Saliba's minimal contact with the ball. The result leaves Arsenal five points behind league leaders Liverpool, who have two games in hand. Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler and pundits like Jamie Redknapp felt the penalty was justified due to Saliba's late challenge. Arsenal now face a challenging schedule with upcoming matches in the Carabao Cup and FA Cup.