Arsenal vs Brentford LIVE: Premier League result and final score after late Kai Havertz goal
Arsenal 2-1 Brentford: Havertz was the hero as the Gunners back to the top of the Premier League table ahead of Liverpool vs Man City
Kai Havertz headed Arsenal back to the top of the table as he finally broke Brentford’s stubborn resistance to claim an eighth successive Premier League win.
Havertz’s 86th-minute goal, his fourth in as many league outings, sealed a 2-1 victory at the Emirates Stadium in a game which remained in the balance until the final whistle after keeper Aaron Ramsdale’s error had gifted the Bees an equaliser.
Ramsdale’s blunder in first-half stoppage time allowed Yoanne Wissa to cancel out Declan Rice’s opener, but Havertz struck with four minutes remaining to leave the Gunners in pole position ahead of Sunday’s mouth-watering clash between Liverpool and Manchester City.
Follow live updates from Arsenal vs Brentford in today’s match blog, and get all the latest match odds and tips, here:
Arsenal find two unlikely heroes on dizzying night in Premier League title race
Aaron Ramsdale was on his knees at one end. Kai Havertz was wheeling away at the other, as the Emirates erupted into bedlam and melted in the dizzying sense of a title race that is hurtling towards its end-of-season throes. Arsenal found two unlikely heroes against Brentford, on the night and in their season, just as the pressure of the title race looked to have reached Mikel Arteta’s side when they had the chance to go top. Instead, after Havertz’s late winner, it’s eight Premier League wins in a row. Arteta had a face like thunder at half-time but, by the end, he was kissing his goalkeeper in the middle of the pitch
On such moments do title races turn and Ramsdale ensured he provided his own with a remarkable second-half redemption arc.
It was quite the night.
Arsenal find two unlikely heroes on dizzying night in Premier League title race
Arsenal 2-1 Brentford: Kai Havertz headed a late winner as the Gunners returned to the top of the table after Aaron Ramsdale’s remarkable second-half redemption act
‘A clear, clear dive’: Brentford furious after Havertz escapes red card
Brentford manager Thomas Frank claimed Arsenal foward Kai Havertz should not have been on the pitch when he headed in his late winner at the Emirates.
Havertz was booked for catching Brentford defender Kristoffer Ajer with a stray arm in the first half of the Premier League clash, but then escaped punishment despite appearing to dive in an attempt to win a penalty after the break.
Brentford had equalised before half time when Aaron Ramsdale was caught on the ball by Yoane Wissa, but Havertz rescued Mikel Arteta’s side as he headed in Ben White’s cross for their eighth Premier League win in a row.
But Frank, who did not see see the incident during the match, said the Germany international was lucky to still be on the pitch to score the goal that saw Arsenal return to the top of the table.
‘A clear, clear dive’: Brentford furious after Arsenal match-winner escapes red card
Kai Havertz scored a 86th minute winner at the Emirates but Thomas Frank said the Arsenal striker should not have been on the pitch
Arteta praises Havertz after late winner
Mikel Arteta hailed match-winner Kai Havertz as an “exceptional player” after his late header saw Arsenal beat Brentford to move top of the Premier League.
“I’m so happy,” Arteta said. “If somebody told me after the first two or three months that the whole stadium would be singing his song with that passion, with that feeling, with that chemistry, I would have found it hard to believe.
“That’s what happens to good people. He’s an exceptional player. When he starts to score goals like this and everything starts to flow people feel more connected with him.
“They see his work rate, they see his intelligence, they see how he plays for the team and how he’s contributing. It’s impossible not to love him.”
Mikel Arteta hails ‘exceptional’ Kai Havertz after late winner against Brentford
The Emirates Stadium sang the Germany international’s name after his 86th-minute header secured the points
FULL TIME! Arsenal 2-1 Brentford
Mikel Arteta, speaking to Sky Sports; “You have to win every game with the level you have. I’m really pleased with what we’ve done.
“The whole game, the way the stadium and fans reacted and pushed the team. The noise, energy, passion in every ball is just a joy to be there. The supporters are fully behind the team with every ball, thank you so much.
“The hardest thing in elite sport is to play every three days and train every day at an elite standard. The willingness within the team is phenomenal.”
FULL TIME! Arsenal 2-1 Brentford
Mikel Arteta on Aaron Ramsdale: “Really happy for him. He’s a huge personality and he has courage and showed that tonight. Errors are part of football, it’s how you react from it. The whole team, the whole stadium was behind him. We really wanted to win for him in that moment and he really helped us.”
FULL TIME! Arsenal 2-1 Brentford
Kai Havertz, speaking to Sky Sports: “Massive, massive win for us. We were so desperate to get these three points. They were so important to us. You could see that, especially in second half.”
FULL TIME! Arsenal 2-1 Brentford
It’s the first time Kai Havertz has scored in four games in a row since arriving to the Premier League.
FULL TIME! Arsenal 2-1 Brentford
Safe to say Ramsdale enjoyed giving some back to the Brentford fans behind his goal...
FULL TIME! Arsenal 2-1 Brentford
EIGHT WINS in a row for Arsenal in the Premier League.
They’ve had so many big wins of late, but nothing beats a late winner.
FULL TIME! Arsenal 2-1 Brentford
Wild, wild scenes at full-time as Arsenal celebrate. Jorginho heads straight to Ramsdale, who celebrates at one corner. Arteta goes to Havertz, who is being applauded at the other end of the pitch.
Arteta then meets Ramsdale in the middle and kisses the Arsenal keeper!
What a dramatic night.
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