Arsenal's week goes from bad to worse
Brighton and Hove Albion's Enock Mwepu scores their side's second goal of the game
Champions League qualification is looking increasingly unlikely for Arsenal after their second defeat in a week.
They were outplayed in a three goal loss at Crystal Palace on Monday night and were no better against an unfancied Brighton side that had scored only one goal in their previous seven matches.
Goals either side of half time from Leo Trossard and the impressive Enock Mwepu secured a surprisingly easy victory for Graham Potter's men.
A late long range effort from Martin Odegaard gave Arsenal hope at the end, just before the match entered six minutes of time added on.
It means Brighton are safe from relegation while Arsenal need to return to winning ways in their next away matches at Southampton and Chelsea to try and catch fourth-placed Tottenham.
Brighton expected more of a battle and betrayed their fears when goalkeeper Robert Sanchez started time-wasting with only 16 minutes gone.
That would also imply Arsenal were causing problems of Potter's side, but they were doing anything but.
There was a half chance for Bukayo Saka and defender Gabriel missed with a header, but Arsenal looked toothless and clueless as they tried to adapt to a line-up without injured duo Kieran Tierney and Thomas Partey.
And it was down Arsenal's left, where midfielder Granit Xhaka was filling in, that Brighton broke to take a 27th minute lead. Enock Mwepu beat Xhaka to a long clearance and pulled the back for Leandro Trossard to strike home unchallenged from around the penalty spot.
Brighton deserved to be ahead and fought to keep it that way Yves Bissouma was booked for hacking down Saka as he tried to mount a counter attack.
A drawn out, paper-thin offside VAR decision denied Gabriel Martinelli an equaliser on the stroke of half-time.
On the restart, Arteta tried to change his fortune by switching Xhaka into midfield and playing three men at the back.
Arsenal instantly looked better and finally played with some urgency but they had a lot of ground to make up and were up against the clock too now.
And they were two down after 66 minutes when Mwepu scored a goal worthy of winning any match. Moises Caicedo cut back from the left and Mwepu finished with a precise half volley rom the edge of the area.
Arsenal looked totally doomed until Odegaard's long range effort in the 89th minute before Brighton clung on with the help of a great extra-time save as Robert Sanchez kept out an Eddie Nketiah header.
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