Brentford vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League result and final score as Fabio Vieira adds third on debut
Brentford 0-3 Arsenal: Vieira marked his first Premier League start with a stunning goal from distance after first-half headers from Gabriel Jesus and William Saliba
Arsenal returned to the top of the Premier League table in some style as Fabio Vieira’s first goal for the club added to first-half headers from William Saliba and Gabriel Jesus in an impressive 3-0 win at Brentford.
Mikel Arteta’s side responded to victories for Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday with a commanding performance at the Brentford Community Stadium, as the Gunners got their revenge for last season’s opening defeat to Thomas Frank’s team.
Saliba scored his second goal of the campaign with a fine header at the front post from a corner, before Jesus met Granit Xhaka’s wonderful cross to double their advantage.
Arsenal were missing captain Martin Odegaard but with Vieira making his first Premier League start for the club, the 22-year-old fired in a stunning goal from distance to wrap up three points.
Late in the match, Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri made history by becoming the youngest ever Premier League player at the age of 15 years and 181 days.
Odegaard to miss Brentford match
According to reports, Martin Odegaard is set to miss Arsenal’s Premier League game against Brentford this afternoon having not travelled with the squad.
The official team news is due out shortly so we’ll know more then but Odegaard has been a crucial part of Arsenal’s team this season and will be a big loss if he’s out of the match.
Mikel Arteta has turned ‘remarkable’ Arsenal into title contenders, Thomas Frank claims
Thomas Frank believes Mikel Arteta has turned Arsenal into genuine Premier League title contenders this season.
Brentford boss Frank insists Arteta’s Arsenal have already overtaken the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham in the Premier League stakes.
The Bees’ Danish manager rates the Gunners as the English top-flight’s second-best outfit behind Manchester City – but still gives the Emirates Stadium side a chance of league glory this term.
Brentford opened their maiden Premier League campaign with a 2-0 home win against Arsenal last season, and the Bees host the Gunners in west London again this Sunday.
Mikel Arteta has turned Arsenal into title contenders, Thomas Frank claims
The Gunners started the weekend in top spot in the Premier League ahead of their trip to Brentford
Brentford vs Arsenal
Brentford’s 2-0 win in this fixture last season means they have won five of their six home league games against Arsenal, although all the other victories came in the 1930s.
The Gunners’ solitary away victory against the Bees was a 1-0 triumph in May 1947.
Brentford vs Arsenal early team news
Sergi Canos could make his first appearance of the season for Brentford after recovering from a hamstring injury but Christian Norgaard and Ethan Pinnock are both sidelined.
Arsenal’s Thomas Partey has resumed training and will be monitored by the club following a thigh issue but Oleksandr Zinchenko continues to struggle with a calf injury.
Reiss Nelson and Mohamed Elneny are also unavailable for the Gunners while Emile Smith Rowe’s ongoing groan problem is expected to keep him out of the game too.
Arteta on whether Arsenal have lost momentum
The Gunners were the in-form team before the Premier League took a week off to pay respects after the passing Queen Elizabeth II. They had won five out of the first six games and sat top of the table but they have not played since a 2-1 victory over FC Zurich in the Europa League 10 days ago.
In the build-up to today’s game, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was asked whether this break has caused his team to lose the momentum they had built up at the start of the season.
“What happened obviously happened for a really important reason and we are always available to play, but there are police, there are authorities and other people who have to make the right decision.” he said, “The decision was made and we have adapted our schedule to be as competitive as possible for Sunday, like any other team.
“We need to play and we want to play games.
“When you look at the schedule after the World Cup especially or at what we have to go through in October, we need to play the games because if not, it’s just impossible.”
Ivan Toney handed first call-up as Gareth Southgate’s World Cup plans take shape
Ivan Toney has been handed his first England call-up ahead of September’s Nations League meetings with Italy and Germany.
In the final camp before this winter’s World Cup in Qatar, the Brentford striker has been given an opportunity to impress manager Gareth Southgate after scoring five goals in the first six Premier League games this season.
Toney is the only uncapped player in Southgate’s 28-man selection but Eric Dier returns to the fold for the first time since March of last year and Ben Chilwell also wins his place back. Dean Henderson replaces Jordan Pickford, who misses out with a thigh injury.
Harry Maguire retains his spot despite losing his starting status at Manchester United and Luke Shaw is also included, but there is still no room for either Jadon Sancho or the injured Marcus Rashford.
Ivan Toney handed first England call-up for Nations League camp
26-man selection is Southgate’s final squad before picking players for Qatar
Brentford vs Arsenal
Welcome to The Independent’s coverage of the Premier League on this fine Sunday afternoon. It’s a reduced schedule this weekend due to police requirements for Queen Elizabeth II’s lying in state and funeral, with only two games being played today.
First up, Arsenal take a trip to Brentford as they look to regain top spot in the table by picking up all three points. Mikel Arteta’s men are looking to get back to winning ways after losing to Manchester United last time out. The Gunners have five wins from their first six games with that loss to United the only time they’ve dropped points this season.
Brentford will be tricky customers though. Thomas Frank’s side have only lost once in the league so far - a 3-2 defea to Fulham - and are unbeaten in their last three matches. Last time out they pumped five goals past Leeds in a barmstorming victory where Ivan Toney bagged a hat-trick. His form has earned him a place in the England squad and he’ll be crucial to the Bees’ efforts today.
Later this afternoon David Moyes returns to Goodison Park as his West Ham side face Everton in a bottom of the table encounter that would see the loser end the weekend in the relegation zone.
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