Arsenal equalled an all-time club clean sheet record in their exceptional 3-0 Premier League victory over Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex.
Despite Manchester City's resounding beating of Crystal Palace earlier in the day, the Gunners travelled south knowing that all three points would have taken them back to the summit over Liverpool for at least one evening.
Mikel Arteta's men had strode to a 2-0 triumph over the Seagulls in their Emirates encounter earlier in the season, but not since the 2020-21 season had they done the double over their South Coast counterparts.
However, the title chasers immediately took control of the contest and were ahead just after the half-hour mark, as Gabriel Jesus was clipped by Tariq Lamptey inside the box, and Bukayo Saka did the rest from 12 yards.
A well-worked routine in the 62nd minute sparked the Gunners' second of the afternoon, as Jorginho cut back to Kai Havertz to tap in his ninth Premier League goal of the campaign, a personal best for the ex-Chelsea man.
© Reuters
Arsenal remain unbreakable on the road
Arsenal's return to the gold medal position was put beyond any doubt in the 86th minute thanks to a former Brighton flame, as Leandro Trossard capitalised on a Pascal Gross error and sped away in the Seagulls half before chipping Bart Verbruggen.
Another masterclass defensively saw Arsenal concede just 0.53 Expected Goals to Brighton, who struggled to conjure up many clear-cut chances, only truly testing David Raya through Julio Enciso's first-half curler.
Joao Pedro managed to work an angle for a strike in second-half injury time, but Gabriel Magalhaes stuck out a leg to preserve Arsenal's clean sheet, which he and his teammates celebrated as if they had just put the ball into the opposition's net.
By shutting out Roberto De Zerbi's side, who had gone 14 games unbeaten at the Amex before Saturday, Arsenal equalled a club record of keeping five straight clean sheets on the road in the top flight.
As well as denying Brighton, the Gunners have also kept West Ham United, Burnley, Sheffield United and Manchester City at bay and have not shipped a goal on the road domestically since January's 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest.
Arsenal return to the summit with a resounding win at the AMEX! 📈 pic.twitter.com/yT6HgdRzDw
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 6, 2024
Kai Havertz lauds "incredible" Arsenal defending
The only previous occasion that Arsenal managed five consecutive clean sheets on the road in the league was back in the 1996-97 season, when they triumphed defensively against Chelsea, Everton, Leeds United, Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton.
Goalscorer Havertz waxed lyrical about the Gunners' defensive work during his post-game interview with Sky Sports News, saying: "The attitude and work-rate of the boys is phenomenal and everyone put everything into that game - that is why we are successful right now.
"The boys at the back, what they are doing is outstanding and everyone is involved in that. We try to get the ball high up the pitch, but how they defend the box is incredible."
Due to their superior goal difference over Liverpool, Arsenal will remain top of the rankings with seven games to go if the Reds fail to overcome Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon.
Arteta's men now turn their attention back to their bid for Champions League glory, as they host faltering Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich in the first leg of their quarter-final on Tuesday.
Ben Knapton
