Ian Wright was disappointed by Arsenal’s performance against Brighton (Picture: PLP)
Ian Wright says Arsenal defender Ben White got ‘roasted’ during the Gunners’ costly Premier League defeat to Brighton.
White had an afternoon to forget as he struggled to contain Brighton’s dynamic wingers in Sunday’s 3-0 loss at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal needed to beat the Seagulls to close the gap to Manchester City to one point, but a second-half capitulation has all but ended the club’s title aspirations.
Pep Guardiola’s side, who are bidding to win a third straight title, now need just three points from their final three games to reclaim the Premier League crown.
Wright believes the Brighton match was a ‘a game too far’ for title-chasing Arsenal and says White got ‘as big a roasting’ as he’s seen ‘for a long time’.
‘Arsenal have known what they needed to do for several weeks now but the Brighton game always looked like a potential banana skin,’ Wright said on Premier League Productions.
‘The way Brighton set up, they wanted Arsenal to press them to go long, and when Arsenal were stretched they passed it through.
Ben White has a difficult afternoon against Brighton (Picture: Getty)
‘[Kaoru] Mitoma gave Ben White as big a roasting as I’ve seen for a long time. And this is a player [White] who’s been playing well this season.
‘Arsenal just couldn’t get it going. Brighton deserve so much credit but maybe it was just a game too far for Arsenal.’
Arsenal, who last won the Premier League in 2004, have pushed Manchester City virtually all the way this season but club legend Patrick Vieira conceded the title was heading back to the Etihad after the Brighton defeat.
‘I’m sorry to say it but I think it’s impossible for Man City to let that [lead at the top] go now,’ he said on Sky Sports.
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“It was a must win game for Arsenal and today they didn’t play their game. There was a lack of energy. It looked like the result of City killed their legs because they didn’t do enough to win the game.’
Former Manchester City defender Micah Richards added: ‘It’s a good feeling for City. They have applied the pressure today [by beating Everton earlier in the day] and Arsenal didn’t turn up.
‘I was disappointed in Arsenal today because from minute one it was like a pre-season friendly. Credit to Brighton, they stopped Arsenal’s flow. I thought Arsenal could give more today.’
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‘Maybe it was a game too far for Arsenal.’