Brighton midfielder Enock Mwepu has delivered on his promise that Brighton would do their best to win against Tottenham following their triumph over Arsenal last week. The Seagulls beat both North London clubs in the past week to keep the battle for a top-four finish tense heading into the final few weeks.
It comes as Mikel Arteta has seen his side hit a huge dip in form, losing all three of their matches since the return from March’s international break. Defeats to Crystal Palace, Brighton and most recently Southampton has seen the Gunners move from favourites for a top-four finish to sixth.
Discussing the loss after the game, the Spaniard wasn’t sure how to explain what had happened: “Difficult to explain because this is football, not basketball. Because any other sport you win the game very comfortably and you’re talking about different things. Difficult to explain but at the end of the day it’s decided in the boxes. They scored one goal, we didn’t.”
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It means that Arteta and his side will be reliant on a quick upturn in form as well as some potential favours from other clubs when they face teams around them. That was, in fact, one of the positives following the disappointment of the game for Arsenal.
North London rivals Tottenham, who currently sit in that final Champions League place, also managed to slump to defeat against the Seagulls. Antonio Conte was unable to get the best out of his side and Leandro Trossard’s 90th-minute strike separated the two sides.
It meant that a promise from Brighton midfielder Enock Mwepu was kept, having claimed that the side would do their best to beat Spurs after overcoming Arsenal the week before. He said, via the Daily Mail : “Normally we would be focused on our own goals but I can promise we will go into the [Tottenham] game and do our best to win again. That would be good for them [Arsenal], I guess.”
It outlines just how big of a favour it was for Arteta come the end of play, despite the fact his side couldn’t capitalise on their rivals’ defeat. They will be hoping for more of the same from those around them in the final weeks, while the need to find their own points only heightens.
