Match Report – Match Highlights – Post-Match Press Conference

Final Result: Arsenal 2-1 Brentford (Rice 19′, Havertz 86′ | Wissa 46′)

Arsenal XI (4-3-3): Ramsdale; Kiwior (Zinchenko 79′), Saliba, Gabriel, White; Rice, Jorginho (Jesus 70′), Odegaard (Partey 95′); Trossard (Nelson 79′), Saka, Havertz

With the top of the table encounter between Liverpool and Manchester City today, Arsenal knew that a win against Brentford was going to put them in a very comfortable position going into the crunch clash. The Gunners have been blazing past opponents in the turn of the new year, with Mikel Arteta winning his seventh Manager of the Month award for his team’s performances in February.

Brentford was a different beast from the teams Arsenal had faced recently, but they’ve had their fair share of defensive frailties which was exploited by Arsenal attack. The first goal of the night arrived when Ben White swung a cross into the box and it was attacked superbly by a towering Declan Rice thumping header. Rice has had as many goal involvements (11), as his previous two seasons in West Ham combined.

Kai Havertz had been in good goalscoring form, so when Jorginho teed him up to send him his clear on goal, the German schemer clipped the ball past Mark Flekken but it went wide off the mark. Aaron Ramsdale had a relatively untested night early on and earned the adulation of the fans when a grappled a header from Ivan Toney and set Leandro Trossard up with an amazing throw, but sadly the Belgian wasn’t on the same wavelength and a good chance went begging.

However, Ramsdale had a moment to forget late in the half when he received a pass from Gabriel and with William Saliba at a good position to receive the ball, Ramsdale chose to take a swing at the ball but it was anticipated by Yoane Wissa and crept into the net. It was like Southampton all over again.

That goal restored some confidence to Brentford and they almost got the lead when Toney blasted an audacious effort after seeing Ramsdale off his line, but the Arsenal goalie sorted his feet in time to make a fingertip save. Arsenal had more urgency in its attacking impetus and almost got the lead when Bukayo Saka’s corner was headed goalward by Gabriel, but it was blocked on the line by Janelt. The next sequence of events were series of penalty claims by Arsenal but the VAR, Paul Tierney, was having none of it. Trossard was dragged down by Roerslev, and Havertz was adjudged to go down after a challenge from Collins, but Arsenal’s appeals fell on deaf ears.

With Arsenal going for broke, Gabriel Jesus made his injury comeback as a sub for Jorginho, but it was Ramsdale that kept his club in the contest when he tipped Collins’ point blank header over the bar. Arsenal was on the ascendancy, when Odegaard reacted quick to a cleared header and cushioned the ball for Rice, whose one time curler clipped the cross bar and went out, with Flekken rooted to the spot.

Havertz was lucky to remain on the pitch when he needlessly stopped Toney’s run, when he was already on a yellow card. but it was the same player that turned out to be the hero of the night, when he nodded White’s cross into the net to send the Emirates Stadium to raptures. Thomas Partey came on late on for Odegaard to give the team some defensive stability and Arsenal held on to return to the top of the table for the first time since Christmas.

The gaffer showed his elation in his post-match presser and this title race has taken another twist with Arsenal sitting pretty at the top of the table. Thanks to one of its most in-form players, Super Kai Havertz.

Sayonara.

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