LONDON:
Arsenal closed the hole on Premier League leaders Liverpool to 6 factors as Gabriel Jesus prolonged his hot-streak in a 3-1 win at Brentford on Wednesday.
Mikel Arteta’s aspect had been rocked by Bryan Mbeumo’s first-half objective on the Gtech Group Stadium.
However Arsenal refused to be blown away on a moist and windy night in west London as Jesus equalised earlier than the break.
It was the Brazilian’s sixth objective in his final 4 video games after he scored simply as soon as in his first 20 matches this season.
Mikel Merino and Gabriel Martinelli netted in fast succession quickly after half-time to make sure Arsenal moved into second place above Nottingham Forest.
“We gained in a tough stadium in opposition to a superb opponent. The report they’ve right here is unimaginable and if you go 1-0 down it makes it even more durable,” Arteta mentioned.
“Particularly if you go a objective down early within the recreation it turns into a mountain to climb, however we remained affected person.
“We needed to handle the state of affairs emotionally. We had been very scientific within the field. Jesus’s type is essential.”
Excluding their 5-1 rout of Crystal Palace, the Gunners had spluttered by their final 4 league video games with lacklustre attracts in opposition to Fulham and Everton adopted by a slender win over lowly Ipswich.
However Arsenal’s first Premier League recreation of 2025 supplied compelling proof that they’re able to compete within the title race with Liverpool, who’ve a recreation in hand on the north Londoners.
Runners-up to Manchester Metropolis for the final two seasons, Arsenal are unbeaten in 12 video games in all competitions, a revitalising run that now consists of 4 successive wins.
“We are able to solely win our subsequent match and see what occurs. It is not in our palms,” Arteta mentioned of chasing Liverpool.
With Bukayo Saka sidelined for a number of months as a consequence of a hamstring harm, 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri made his first league begin for Arsenal.
Kai Havertz was absent after scoring Arsenal’s winner in opposition to Ipswich however Jesus ensured the German was not missed.
Arsenal didn’t lose a single one in all their 10 league London derbies in 2024 they usually maintained their spectacular report in capital clashes after surviving an early blow.
Sucker punch
Arsenal keeper David Raya was making his first return to Brentford since leaving in 2023.
The Spaniard was taunted by his former membership’s followers, who took nice enjoyment of his misjudgement as Brentford went into the lead from their first critical assault within the thirteenth minute.
Martin Odegaard surrendered possession cheaply and Mikkel Damsgaard’s move picked out Mbeumo on the correct flank.
Mbeumo minimize inside Riccardo Calafiori however the Cameroon ahead’s low drive from 20 yards ought to have been handled by Raya, whose gradual response allowed the ball to beat him on the close to submit.
Raya almost gifted Brentford a second objective when he let Mbeumo’s shot slip by his grasp earlier than desperately clawing it away simply centimetres earlier than it crossed the road.
Arsenal responded emphatically after that chaotic interval and drew degree within the twenty ninth minute.
Thomas Partey’s thunderous blast from the sting of the realm was parried by Brentford ‘keeper Mark Flekken and Jesus alertly pounced on the rebound with a diving header that looped into the web from six yards.
Jesus was left with a bloodied mouth after a conflict with Damsgaard that introduced no punishment from the officers.
Arsenal delivered a sucker punch of their very own 5 minutes after half-time as their set-piece prowess paid off once more.
When Flekken made a hash of coping with Nwaneri’s nook, Jesus’ snap-shot deflected to Merino and the Spain midfielder poked residence from shut vary.
Merino’s second objective for Arsenal since his close-season transfer from Actual Sociedad shattered Brentford’s resistence and Martinelli bagged the guests’ third three minutes later.
Nwaneri uncovered Brentford’s defensive deficiencies with a intelligent cutback and when his shot was deflected to Martinelli inside the realm, the Brazilian curled a nice end previous Flekken.