Brentford v Arsenal LIVE: Premier League result and reaction after visitors fight back for impressive win
Brentford 1-3 Arsenal: The visitors came from behind after Bryan Mbeumo’s early goal
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Your support makes all the difference.Arsenal closed to within six points of Premier League leaders Liverpool as they came from behind to beat Brentford 3-1.
Having been rocked by Bryan Mbeumo’s early goal, Mikel Arteta’s side very nearly went two behind when David Raya let Keane Lewis-Potter’s shot squirm through his fingertips. But the Spanish goalkeeper scrambled superbly to hook the ball off his own line, and barely 60 seconds later, Gabriel Jesus latched on to a rebound to nod home an equaliser.
Arsenal then took control with two goals in three minutes early in the second half, first Mikel Merino capitalising on some chaos from a corner and then Gabriel Martinelli producing a fine finish to convert youngster Ethan Nwaneri’s deflected cross. Three points lift the London club up above Nottingham Forest into second at the halfway stage of their season and start 2025 with an impressive win.
Re-live all of the action in our live blog below:
Brentford 1-0 Arsenal, 25 minutes
A bright Brentford move forces Gabriel into a superb defensive header with a pair of arriving home players contesting.
Brentford 1-0 Arsenal, 21 minutes
Brentford are growing into this, pressing higher by the minute have spent much of the opening skirmishes bunkered. David Raya threatens to give the ball away by blooping it into the backside of a Brentford blocker, though the ricochet bounces favourably for Arsenal.
Brentford 1-0 Arsenal, 19 minutes
Brentford are yet to truly settle into a passing flow, though Nathan Collins and the rest of the back five strum the ball about effectively here. As the Arsenal press relaxes, forward they go, with Bryan Mbeumo hitting the deck under pressure from Gabriel. Free kick given on the halfway line.
Brentford 1-0 Arsenal, 17 minutes
Nasty! A real lunge from Jurrien Timber on Keane Lewis-Potter rightly brings a yellow card. It’s a costly caution for the full-back - he’ll miss the next game.
Brentford 1-0 Arsenal, 15 minutes
It had been a really controlled start from Arsenal, though you do wonder about the balance of their midfield without Declan Rice. Both Thomas Partey and Mikel Merino seem keen to get in the box, and once Odegaard gave that ball away, there was no cover with his two midfield mates ahead of him.
GOAL! BRENTFORD 1-0 Arsenal (Bryan Mbeumo, 13 minutes)
First shot, first goal! Bryan Mbeumo strikes!
It’s poor from Martin Odegaard to start, a lax, lazy pass that is cut out by Mikkel Damsgaard. Forward goes the Dane beyond the Norwegian, connecting with Mbeumo in transition up the right. Mbeumo opens up his body to feign for the far corner and then drags his shot to the near, wrong-footing David Raya and finding the back of the net. That’s the threat the hosts poste!
Brentford 0-0 Arsenal, 12 minutes
Thomas Partey does well as he commits to a loose ball and manages to win it, the midfielder risking leaving his defence exposed by surging after it yet justified in his call.
Later, Partey makes an excellent tackle from behind on Yoanne Wissa after the forward had been freed by Bryan Mbeumo’s backheel.
Brentford 0-0 Arsenal, 9 minutes
Good stuff from Ethan Nwaneri to earn a corner, and the youngster will take, too. A trebucheted cross from the right lands on the head of Thomas Partey at the far post but the amplitude is too grand to consider a direct header goalwards, and the supporting work is again not what it needs to be to capitalise on a bouncing ball in the Brentford box.
Brentford 0-0 Arsenal, 7 minutes
A bit of pressure is beginning to build on Brentford, who are struggling to escape their own end. A floated Martin Odegaard cross is headed back into a dangerous area by Gabriel Martinelli, though there is no Arsenal player following up to lash it on goal.
Brentford 0-0 Arsenal, 5 minutes
Good footwork from Gabriel Jesus in the box and there are a couple of Brentford legs snatching at his ankles, none making contact that would surely have prompted a point to the spot from the referee. They get bodies back to force Jesus back and Arsenal will reload from deeper.
Gabriel Martinelli tries to get down the outside against Mads Roerslev, but the right-back has the Brazilian well handled. Away for a goal kick.
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