BREAKING NEWS: “Even though we let go of our 1-0 lead at home, I have to say I’ve never faced such a dangerously aggressive player in my career before. This was my first time playing against him yesterday,” says Brentford star Wissa, naming the ONE Arsenal player who brought him so much joy – not Timber, not Merino.

Arsenal mounted a comeback to claim a crucial Premier League win over Brentford on New Year’s Day 2025, narrowing the gap to league leaders Liverpool to six points. However, Arsenal has played one more game than Liverpool.

Brentford opened the scoring in the 13th minute through Bryan Mbeumo, who netted his 11th Premier League goal of the season. Mbeumo’s excellent form has sparked transfer speculation linking him to several top clubs, including Arsenal.

Arsenal found it difficult to create clear chances early in the game and lacked sharpness for much of the first 30 minutes.

The turning point came when Thomas Partey’s shot was saved by Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken, and Gabriel Jesus pounced on the rebound to equalize, continuing his fine scoring streak. Earlier, Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya had a nervy moment after fumbling a shot from Keane Lewis-Potter but recovered just in time to prevent a costly mistake.

The second half saw Arsenal take control. Mikel Merino found the net following a scrappy corner to put the visitors ahead. Soon after, Gabriel Martinelli scored a third with a precise strike from the edge of the box, set up by brilliant wing play from Ethan Nwaneri. This quick double ensured Arsenal took all three points.

This victory gives Mikel Arteta’s team an opportunity to close the gap further when they face Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday evening. Liverpool, meanwhile, are set to host struggling Manchester United at Anfield the next day.

Brentford, currently sitting 12th in the league, remain comfortably above the relegation zone. Just one win could push them into the top half of the table as they prepare for a key clash against Southampton over the weekend.

Brentford Player Ratings vs Arsenal (4-3-1-2):

Substitutes:

Leandro Trossard (78′ for Nwaneri): 6.0/10

Declan Rice (78′ for Merino): 5.8/10

Myles Lewis-Skelly (78′ for Calafiori): 6.3/10

Jorginho (88′ for Odegaard): N/A

Oleksandr Zinchenko (90+1′ for Jesus): N/A