Premier League GW13 - Brentford vs Arsenal

Brentford vs Arsenal | Picture Credits: Arsenal Website

Arsenal put on a late, late performance to defeat Brentford 1-0 in a thrilling match at the Brentford Community Stadium. The thrilling game included flashes of brilliance, near misses, and an emotional VAR ruling before Kai Havertz's spectacular header gave the Gunners the victory.

Brentford:

Brentford was ranked 11th in the Premier League standings going into today's match, having just lost 3-0 to Liverpool the previous game. But since the beginning of the previous campaign, just three sides have triumphed over the Bees at home in the Premier League. Among the three was Arsenal, who triumphed in their most recent EFL Cup match.

Arsenal:

Arsenal defeated Burnley 3-1 just before the international break to maintain pressure on Premier League leaders Manchester City. As he marks his 200th game in charge of the Gunners today, head coach Mikel Arteta hopes to turn around his team's dismal road record—they have only triumphed in one of their past five away games.

Line Ups:

BRENTFORD Starting XI (4-3-3):

Mark Flekken; Kristoffer Ajer, Ben Mee, Ethan Pinnock, Vitaly Janelt; Yehor Yarmoliuk, Christian Norgaard, Frank Onyeka; Yoane Wissa, Saman Ghoddos, Bryan Mbeumo.

Subs: Charlie Goode, Neal Maupay, Zanka, Thomas Strakosha, Keane Lewis-Potter, Myles Peart-Harris, Shandon Baptiste, Michael Olakigbe, Ethan Brierley.

ARSENAL Starting XI (4-3-3):

Aaron Ramsdale; Takehiro Tomiyasu, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Oleksandr Zinchenko; Leandro Trossard, Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard; Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka.

Subs: Ben White, Eddie Nketiah, Jakub Kiwior, Cedric Soares, Jorginho, Reiss Nelson, Mohamed Elneny, Kai Havertz, Karl Hein.

Brentford Community Stadium | Picture Credits: Brentford FC Website

First Half: Goal-Line Drama and VAR Intrigue

Missed opportunities and defensive tenacity characterised the first half. When Ramsdale of Arsenal made a mistake that gave Brentford's Wissa a great opportunity, the players were nervous, but Rice saved the day with an incredible goal-line clearing. Arsenal pushed forward, showing signs of their attacking intent with a misplaced header from Gabriel and a near-miss from Jesus.

As the first half came to a close, Arsenal believed they had broken the tie. Saka found Jesus with a beautiful lofted pass; Flekken had originally saved his header. But Trossard was quick to seize the opportunity, seemingly giving the Gunners the advantage. The joy was short-lived, though, as VAR stepped in and decided that Trossard was offside by the smallest of margins.

Second Half: Narrow Escapes and Late Drama

Fans were kept on the edge of their seats throughout the second half. Arsenal's clean sheet was saved by Zinchenko's goal-line heroics in the 77th minute, after Maupay's attempt had threatened to break the tie. Then, Trossard attempted a comeback and saw his deflected shot just miss the mark.

It was the 89th minute that proved to be crucial. Saka, displaying his signature talent, found replacement Havertz precisely at the back post with a precise cross from the right. Havertz perfectly timed his run, jumped, and sent a header into the goal to give Arsenal a thrilling 1-0 lead.

Arsenal Claims Top Spot with Late Havertz Heroics

In a thrilling match full of close calls and VAR drama, Arsenal won in the closing seconds. The Gunners secured a vital 1-0 victory thanks to Havertz's late header, which catapulted them to the top of the Premier League standings. Brentford will reorganise for their next match against Luton Town while Arsenal continues their Champions League journey.

This exciting match will be remembered for its nail-biting turns and turns that highlight how unpredictable Premier League football can be. Until we meet again, good bye!

Both teams played head to head till half time | Picture Credits: Arsenal Website

With Havertz's goal, Arsenal took the lead | Picture Credits: Brentford Website