Bukayo Saka and Eddie Nketiah grabbed early goals in each half for Arsenal as they won 4-2 away to Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday in the final Premier League game of 2022 to open up a seven-point lead at the top of the table.
Arsenal top the standings on 43 points with second-placed Manchester City, who were held to a 1-1 draw by Everton earlier in the day, on 36 and Newcastle United, who drew 0-0 with Leeds, two points further back in third.
Saka scored after two minutes and Martin Odegaard added another before the break, before an Eddie Nketiah strike just after halftime looked to have wrapped up all three points for the Gunners.
However, a Kaoru Mitoma goal in the 65th minute threw Brighton a lifeline and though Gabriel Martinelli netted a fourth for Arsenal, Evan Ferguson made it 4-2 to set up a grandstand finish.
Mitoma thought he had made it 4-3 in the 89th minute but the goal was chalked off after a VAR review found that he had come from an offside position, as the Gunners held on to close out the year with a win.