Arsenal vs Brentford Report

Scorers: Partey 61’; Wissa 74’

Brentford earned a well-deserved point at the Emirates Stadium after coming from behind to secure a 1-1 draw against Arsenal, marking the first time this season that the Bees have avoided defeat against a current top-three side. While Mikel Arteta’s rotated Gunners side had one eye on their looming UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg against Real Madrid, Brentford made sure they capitalised with a spirited second-half comeback.

Slow-Burning First Half

With several key players rested, Arsenal’s reshuffled starting XI lacked fluidity early on. Teenager Ethan Nwaneri, making his presence felt, had a shot deflected wide, while Thomas Partey headed a cross back into the danger zone, only for Christian Nørgaard to awkwardly clear under pressure.

The game’s first shot on target came at the other end in the 22nd minute, when Kristoffer Ajer surged forward to meet Bryan Mbeumo’s pass, but his low strike was blocked by David Raya’s legs. Arsenal thought they had found the opener moments later when Kieran Tierney headed in Nwaneri’s cross, only for the offside flag to cut short the celebrations – his first Premier League start since May 2023 narrowly denied a fairytale return.

The hosts grew into the half, with Oleksandr Zinchenko forcing a smart save from Mark Flekken and Gabriel Martinelli testing Ajer’s defensive resilience. Leandro Trossard tried to make his mark with a header over the bar and a couple of speculative efforts from distance, but it remained goalless at the break.

Partey Pounces – But Bees Hit Back

Brentford were not overawed and began the second half showing more attacking intent. Keane Lewis-Potter’s driven cross forced a corner that almost broke the deadlock, but it was Arsenal who struck first on the hour mark. A Brentford corner turned into a lightning-fast counter as Raya rolled the ball to Declan Rice, who charged forward and laid it off for Partey to rifle home a first-time finish from the edge of the box – a clinical conclusion to a sweeping move.

Arteta brought on more familiar faces from the bench in an attempt to secure the points, including Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz, but Brentford remained determined. Their reward came in the 74th minute when Arsenal failed to clear their lines from a corner, allowing Michael Kayode to deliver a teasing cross that Ajer headed back into the mix. Yoane Wissa reacted instinctively, flicking the ball past Raya with a clever finish to level proceedings.

Late Drama and Final Whistle

As Arsenal pushed for a winner, Saka almost snatched it at the death after stealing the ball off Flekken, but the England international curled his shot agonisingly wide. Brentford held firm to record back-to-back league draws and leapfrog Crystal Palace into 11th.

While the Gunners couldn’t secure all three points, their unbeaten run now stretches to nine matches in all competitions. Arteta’s side remain in the title race, although they’ll be disappointed not to have capitalised fully before their decisive European showdown in Madrid.

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Arsenal v Brentford, 2024/25 | Premier League