Bukayo Saka insists Arsenal won’t repeat last year’s title-race implosion after they returned to top spot with 3-0 win at Brighton

Bukayo Saka insisted Arsenal will not make the same mistakes as last season when they blew an eight-point lead and were pipped to the title by Manchester City.

The Gunners swept aside Brighton on the south coast on Sunday night to return to the top of the Premier League in style.

‘Inside we’re all buzzing,’ said Saka, who fired Arsenal ahead from the penalty spot in the 33rd minute before Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard added second-half goals.

‘We know the win takes us back on top. We’re building momentum,’ he said.

‘Last season was not great, but it was great in terms of we learnt our lesson. Games like this we need to put to bed. This year we feel more comfortable. I feel the team is better.

The Gunners cruised to a 3-0 win at Brighton to move back to the top of the Premier League

‘From the keeper to the striker, you saw Kai how hard he’s working. We know how we’re going to handle it. We go to win, that’s the mentality we must have.’

Arsenal now lead Liverpool and Manchester City by a point, but the Merseysiders have a game in hand – at Manchester United on Sunday.

Mikel Arteta’s men have now kept five consecutive clean sheets away from home in the league for the first time since 1997. They have also scored the most goals – 75 – and conceded the fewest – 24.

‘Really happy, a big performance,’ said Arteta. ‘They haven’t lost here since August and that tells you the story. We were outstanding.

‘We a showed a lot of quality, with the ball we are really connected. Without the ball we were so disciplined.

‘We prepared because they did something similar to that against Liverpool. We are older. We went through a lot of moments together and the chemistry you build in the team is important.

‘We signed some tremendous players as well. We’ve been through it and that helps.’

Mikel Arteta’s side let an eight-point lead slip last year as Manchester City lifted the title

Arteta admitted his delight with the win on the south coast and praised his team’s discipline

Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi was left reflecting on the struggle of contending with an extended injury list.

He added: ‘We played a good first half and played well in the second half until the second goal.

‘After that we played not so good and deserved to lose against one of the best Premier League sides. With our injured players, we can’t compete against Arsenal.

‘We are in a tough moment because we are playing without a lot of injured players. It is tough.’