Arsenal moved up to second in the Premier League and within six points of Liverpool after a largely trouble-free, if slightly pedestrian, 1-0 win at home to struggling Ipswich Town on a chilly night in north London on Friday.
A first-half goal from Kai Havertz, who pounced on a smart pull-back from Leandro Trossard, proved the winner although the hosts should have scored more as the Gunners' performance failed to provide many pre-New Year fireworks.
Lacking the creativity of the injured Bukayo Saka, it took 19 minutes before Arsenal mustered their first shot although four minutes after that Havertz netted his sixth of the season in all competitions by tapping in Trossard's whipped cross.
Ipswich had a spell of pressure after 10 minutes of the second half but it proved fleeting and Arsenal should have comfortably put the game to bed after that.
Defender Gabriel Magalhaes missed a golden opportunity to extend his run of scoring from corners when he headed just wide when completely unmarked. Captain Martin Odegaard then blazed over after he danced from midfield into the visitors box.
The win lifted Arsenal to 36 points behind Liverpool, who have 42 and a game in hand, and meant the Gunners leapfrogged both London rivals Chelsea, who have 35 points, and one of the season's surprise packages Nottingham Forest, fourth on 34.
The Gunners next visit Brentford on New Year's Day and Brighton & Hove Albion on Jan. 4 before playing two domestic cup games and hosting local rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Jan. 15.
Friday's match started slowly as Arsenal kept the ball effortlessly early on, although it was mostly in non-threatening areas until Trossard burst to the byline after 23 minutes and fired the ball across for Havertz to prod in.
Arsenal forward Gabriel Jesus thought he had added to his recent run of goals later in the half when he poked the ball through the Ipswich keeper Arijanet Muric's legs from an unfathomably tight angle but it was ruled out for offside.
The home side created a handful of good chances in the final 20 minutes too with Odegaard, Havertz and Trossard all getting shots in but if Arsenal are to keep up their challenge on Liverpool they will need to demonstrate more clinical finishing.
Ipswich remain second-bottom with 12 points from 18 games, three off the safety zone, before they host Chelsea on Monday.
Brighton in goalless draw with Brentford
Brighton & Hove Albion were held to a 0-0 draw by Brentford after dominating the mid-table Premier League clash but lacking a finishing touch despite having 24 shots at a misty American Express Stadium.
Fabian Hurzeler's hosts extended their winless run to six games and are 10th in the table with 26 points after 18 games, two points ahead of 11th-placed Brentford who are still without an away victory this season.
Brighton peppered Mark Flekken's goal with shots all night after Julio Enciso set the tone in the fifth minute when Joao Pedro, with his back to goal, laid the ball off for the Paraguay international, who clattered his shot off the woodwork.
It was a sign of things to come for the 20-year-old Enciso, whose eight shots in the first half were the most by a player in the first half of a Premier League game since Luis Suarez's eight for Liverpool against Aston Villa in March, 2013.
Brentford's Yoane Wissa celebrated what he thought was a sumptuous goal against the run of play in the first half when he latched onto Mads Roerslev's through ball on the counter and fired into the top corner but it was ruled out for offside.
Flekken limped off late in the first half with a hamstring injury, which could have been costly with Brighton having had 15 shots to the visitors' two. However, back-up Hakon Valdimarsson and a resolute defence limited Brighton to a point.
Brentford fans shouted for a red card when Joao Pedro threw an elbow near Yehor Yarmoliuk's head in the second half after the Ukrainian dragged him back. But a lengthy VAR check ruled there was no violent conduct as Joao Pedro made no contact.
Brighton fans sang Solly March's name during an emotional standing ovation when the 30-year-old wing-back was brought on as a late substitute in his long-awaited return from a serious knee injury suffered in October 2023.
March had a terrific chance deep into added time but there would be no fairytale ending as he curled his effort just over.
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