Arsenal have cut Liverpool's lead at the top of the Premier League to six points after completing a comeback win to beat Brentford 3-1 at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Liverpool's emphatic win over West Ham on Sunday evening had left Arsenal reeling in recent days, with a nine-point lead at the top. However, the Gunners started 2025 with a win and moved back up to second place, but it was not without concerns for Mikel Arteta's side.
Brentford came into the match with something of an injury crisis as Thomas Frank had almost an entire Premier League team on the sidelines. However, it was the hosts, stimulated by the availability of goalkeeper Mark Fleken, who took the lead thanks to an early goal from Bryan Mbeumo (13).
Frank was asked ahead of the match about possible interest from Premier League clubs in the forward and the Brentford boss laughed off suggestions that the 25-year-old could leave the club this month. Mbeumo once again showed how crucial he is to this Brentford team, putting a low strike past David Raya at his near post for his eleventh league goal of the season.
It is often said that football is a game with small margins. This proved to be the case again in this match when Raya inexplicably let Keane Lewis-Potter's shot slip through his fingers. The ball bounced painfully towards the goal, but Raya reacted quickly and jumped back to claw the ball off the goal line.
Fifty-five seconds later, Arsenal were level. Thomas Partey's low shot was well saved by Flokken but Jesus (29) leapt up to head home the rebound from close range for his sixth goal in four games in all competitions as the visitors restored parity heading into half-time.
Arteta had work to do at the break as his side had been fighting for decent chunks in the first half, and whatever the Spaniard said to his side had the desired effect with the Gunners scoring twice in three minutes.
“Another set-piece” was heard from the far corner after Mikel Merino (50) smashed home from close range after Flokken had failed to deal with Ethan Nwaneri's corner.
Three minutes and eight seconds later the Gunners were celebrating when Nwaneri, making his first league start, saw his cross deflect only as far as Gabriel Martinelli, who sent a shot into the far corner to give his side breathing space.
There would be no dramatic comeback from Brentford, who suffered only their second home defeat of the season in the Premier League.
Meanwhile, Arsenal extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to eleven games, with a third straight win in the league. They now have the chance to cut Liverpool's lead to three points as they head into a trip to Brighton live on Sky Sports on Saturday (5.30pm kick-off), ahead of Liverpool's match with Manchester United on Super Sunday, also live on Sky Sports (starting at 4.30pm).
The most important moment of the game?
On one side, Raya took a shot from his goal line after almost dropping a bang…
… 55 seconds later, Arsenal leveled through Jesus.
Arteta hails 'big win'
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta:
“It's a big win. They're a really good team, they're really well coached and they've been exceptional at home.
“Especially when you concede a goal early in the game, it becomes a mountain to climb, but the team remained patient. We had to manage the situation emotionally.
“We have to navigate through some difficult moments.
“We started very quickly and aggressively and readjusted. We had some injuries and illness and we had to play against some different players.”
Will Arsenal seize the opportunity to put pressure on Liverpool?
Sky Sports' Oliver Yew at Gtech Community Stadium:
The way Brentford played at home this season, this was never going to be easy for Arsenal.
However, after facing plenty of adversity in the opening 45 minutes, they withstood a tough test for a significant victory in the title race.
It now gives the Gunners a chance to put some pressure on Liverpool, who were in danger of running away with the competition ahead of their clash with Man Utd on Super Sunday.
Before that, the Gunners travel to the Amex Stadium to face Brighton on Saturday Night Football and a win would see them close the gap on the Reds to three points, while Slot's side have two games in hand.
After the match, Arteta said his side were just focused on doing their job. “We can only win our next match and see what happens,” he said. “It's not in our hands, but what we have in our hands, we have to make sure we do it.”
Liverpool have been at cruising speed in recent weeks, but if Arsenal can sneak into Anfield's rear-view mirror, pressure can do funny things.
The Nwaneri bets claim to fill Saka's boots
In September 2022, Ethan Nwaneri became the youngest player in Premier League history, aged 15 years and 181 days, when he came on as a substitute for Arsenal against Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Making his first Premier League start at the same ground, he came on brilliantly for Bukayo Saka on the right, took corners and indeed played a big hand in the third goal as Arsenal roared back.
In the first half, he was the only player to complete all his passes (17/17), while also creating two chances, a figure only surpassed by Martinelli (3). In total, Nwaneri gave the ball away only twice.
It was a performance that impressed Arsenal boss Arteta. “Really good. During training he gave us the right reasons. He is a youth academy player and he has to play because he deserves it.”
On why he started the 17-year-old, he added: “In that position it wasn't because of the bug. It was because he was the best player to play in that position.”
At 17 years and 286 days, Nwaneri was the third youngest player to start a Premier League match for Arsenal, after Cesc Fabregas (17 years and 103 days against Everton in August 2004) and Theo Walcott (17 years and 212 days against Watford in October 2006). ).
Small steps for the teenager, but he has added another option for Arteta in Saka's absence.
Story of the match in statistics…
Opta statistics: added values for Gunners
'You have to be perfect to beat Arsenal'
Brentford head coach Thomas Frank:
“You have to play a perfect game against Arsenal, one of the two best teams in the league, probably in the world. I actually thought we were almost perfect in the first half, I liked the way we played.”
“I'm happy with the performance, especially the first half, and I also thought the second half wasn't too bad: we only conceded two goals.
“I think the overall performance was good, maybe very good, but we didn't capture the big moments well enough – especially the three defensive moments.”
Comments