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Arsenal overcame a resilient Brighton side to secure a hard-fought 1-0 win on the South Coast on Wednesday night, extending their lead at the top of the Premier League table to seven points.
Bukayo Saka was the matchwinner as he sealed the three points for his side in the ninth minute when his deflected strike from the right side of the box beat Bart Verbruggen.
It was a brilliant team performance that saw the Gunners overcome the Seagulls at the Amex, but there were three players that stood out on a potentially defining night in East Sussex.
Three standout players from Arsenal's hard-fought win at Brighton
1. Gabriel
If you had to pick one player that was responsible for Arsenal taking the three points from Brighton, you would most certainly pick Gabriel Magalhaes.
The Brazilian was simply outstanding on Wednesday as his dominance in defence helped the Gunners to the all-important win that saw them go seven clear at the top of the table.
His night started quickly when he had to track back and head Carlos Baleba's lobbed effort over the crossbar following a mistake by David Raya. He then made a crucial block against Kaoru Mitoma just minutes after his side went in front.
He continued to be an unbeatable force in defence for the remainder of the game and was absolutely crucial in his side securing the win.
2. Declan Rice
Declan Rice looked tired in Sunday's win over Chelsea, prompting a late subsitution, but he looked more than up for it last night as he put in another great display.
The midfielder was guilty of making a mistake that allowed Brighton a chance to run at his side's defence, but he recovered brilliantly to track back and win back possession on the edge of the box to clear the danger.
He was constantly quick to pounce on any loose balls by Brighton as well as causing problems with his set piece deliveries on the odd occasion he had the opportunity to do so.
It was the kind of performance Arsenal needed from Rice as he looked like a midfielder capable of leading his team to the Premier League title.
3. Piero Hincapié
Kept in the side despite scoring an own goal against Chelsea, Piero Hincapié repaid his manager's trust by putting on a standout show at Brighton.
The Ecuador international was brilliant in defence, winning a number of duels and making crucial clearances and tackles, totalling to 16 defensive contributions throughout the game.
He also helped out in attack when he could, making some really good runs down the left side as he showed his pace to beat multiple Seagulls players.
Hincapié then finished off his display by slotting into the right side of defence with ease following Cristhian Mosquera's substitution.