Arsenal Regain Control with Composed Win Over Brentford
So, let me walk you through how this Arsenal vs Brentford game unfolded, because it really felt like one of those nights where calm authority met just enough firepower to get the job done. Coming off the back of Manchester City’s chaotic 5-4 win the night before, Arsenal were given the perfect chance to remind everyone that they’re built differently this season — more composed, more stable, and definitely more resilient.
And they grabbed that chance early. Within the first 10 minutes, the Emirates Stadium was already up on its feet. A smooth exchange down the right between Noni Madueke and Ben White opened Brentford up, and White’s clipped cross was met brilliantly by Mikel Merino. His header was powered into the ground and beyond CaoimhÃn Kelleher, giving Arsenal the ideal start. That goal marked Merino’s second in four days and continued what’s turning into a standout season for him.
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But despite the bright opening, things didn’t stay comfortable for long. Arsenal’s defensive issues deepened when Cristhian Mosquera limped off before the break, adding to an already long list of absentees at centre-back. With Saliba and Gabriel also missing, unfamiliar combinations were thrown together again — this time Jurriën Timber and Piero Hincapié. Credit where it’s due, though: they handled the pressure well.
Brentford didn’t make life easy. They were direct, physical, and especially dangerous from set pieces. The closest they came was through Kevin Schade, whose thumping header forced David Raya to tip the ball onto the bar — a massive moment that kept Arsenal in control, even when their rhythm dipped.
As the second half wore on, Arsenal’s energy became patchy. Some passes went astray, some counters fizzled out, and the impatience inside the stadium was easy to feel. That’s when Arteta turned to his bench. On came Eberechi Eze and Bukayo Saka, and gradually the tempo lifted again.
Calafiori had a couple of sharp moments, Rice kept picking off balls in midfield, and chances finally started flowing. Still, it wasn’t until stoppage time that Arsenal could finally breathe. Merino slipped a perfectly weighted ball through for Saka, who fired from a tight angle. Kelleher got a hand to it, but the strike had too much force. It rolled in, and that was that — 2-0, game sealed.
In the end, Arsenal restored their five-point lead at the top of the Premier League and stretched their unbeaten run to 18 matches across all competitions. It wasn’t sparkling all the way through, but it was controlled, it was determined, and it was exactly what they needed.
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