Arsenal icon Ian Wright has voiced significant concerns regarding the Gunners’ inability to convert dominant performances into comfortable victories following their narrow 2-1 triumph over Brighton & Hove Albion.
Although Mikel Arteta’s side currently maintains a two-point lead over Manchester City at the summit of the Premier League, Wright believes the team’s recurring wastefulness in the final third could jeopardize their title aspirations. The North London club has finished as runners-up for three consecutive years and desperately seeks to secure their first league crown in over two decades.
The victory at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, December 27, 2025, initially appeared routine after Martin Ødegaard opened the scoring with a precise first-half strike. Arsenal doubled their advantage early in the second period when Georginio Rutter inadvertently turned the ball into his own net. However, despite generating numerous scoring opportunities, the hosts failed to kill off the contest, allowing Diego Gómez to pull a goal back for the Seagulls and set up a frantic finale. Wright noted that the atmosphere inside the stadium shifted from confidence to apprehension as the game progressed.
“I think David Raya has probably saved our blushes with that amazing save,” Wright told Premier League Productions. “But it’s a problem we’ve got at the moment. For some reason, with the chances we’re making, we don’t seem to be able to take the chances to be comfortable in the game, then the anxiety kicks in and then it feels like a basketball match kind of energy.”
While Manchester City kept the pressure high with their own 2-1 win against Nottingham Forest earlier that day, Arsenal’s defensive resilience and a crucial late save from David Raya ensured they remained top of the table. Wright insists that the squad must adopt a more ruthless mentality to avoid the late-game “basketball” chaos he observed against Brighton.
As the title race intensifies heading into the new year, the legendary striker maintains that clinical finishing will prove the difference between another second-place finish and finally lifting the Premier League trophy.
About the Author
