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
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 1-1 Arsenal, 45 + 1 minutes
Into four added minutes as Gabriel Jesus rejoins proceedings with Brentford working their way towards the Arsenal box.
A stray pass ends that adventure.
Brentford 1-1 Arsenal, 43 minutes
The home fans urge their team on, hoping for a bright end to the half. Those supporters are soon booing when Gabriel Jesus hits the deck, though there’s blood in the mouth of the Brazilian after a rather stiff shot from Mikkel Damsgaard’s flailing left arm. There’s no malice whatsoever in it, but that’s got to hurt - and the chant of “same old Arsenal, always cheating” is a little uncharitable.
Jesus and his swollen lip will be back on.
Brentford 1-1 Arsenal, 41 minutes
Brentford work the ball efficiently up the pitch. Mikel Roerslev is happy to let a blocked cross go away for a corner.
Bryan Mbeumo again will take. Sepp van den Berg surges to the near post to attack it but can’t quite get there.
Brentford 1-1 Arsenal, 40 minutes
Lively interplay between Mikkel Damsgaard and Bryan Mbeumo sees the latter fouled by Mikel Merino.
Here’s how close they were to a 2-0 lead - tight!
Brentford 1-1 Arsenal, 38 minutes
A slightly worrying moment for Mark Flekken, who nearly lets a Riccardo Calafiori cross curl out of his reach before making a late thrust to punch it away. Good whip on that ball from the left-back.
Martin Odegaard’s curvature is less impressive. Flekken watches his diagonal bounce behind.
Brentford 1-1 Arsenal, 36 minutes
Brentford load the box having earned a corner, with Bryan Mbeumo wandering across to deliver. He fails to beat Gabriel Jesus at the near post.
Brentford 1-1 Arsenal, 32 minutes
This has been a useful period for Gabriel Jesus, putting a tough 2024 behind him with a good December and carrying that scoring form into 2025.
Moments beforehand, though, Keane Lewis-Potter’s shot had been no more than three inches from doubling Brentford’s lead. Sloppy and sublime goalkeeping from David Raya in a split second, but he did just enough.
GOAL! Brentford 1-1 ARSENAL (Gabriel Jesus, 29 minutes)
Nodded home on the rebound! Arsenal pounce to equalise!
Oh, Brentford. It’s a bad goal to concede, two or three chances to clear on the edge of their box passed up. Instead, a skew falls invitingly for Thomas Partey to larrup at goal. Mark Flekken saves firmly to his left yet the bouncing ball is there to be capitalised upon, and a stooping Gabriel Jesus directs it home.
Brentford 1-0 Arsenal, 28 minutes
Centimetres from a second! David Raya lets the ball burst through his grips after a fierce driven shot but scrambles somehow to claw the ball off his line!
Brentford 1-0 Arsenal, 26 minutes
A turnover in possession allows Martin Odegaard to push the pace, and the Arsenal captain soon has a free kick to size up. 40 yards out, right of centre - can he get the delivery right? Gabriel Jesus issues some final instructions before he does...
So nearly! But the offside flag is up! Arsenal’s players shuffle like Space Invaders just in front of the Brentford defensive line before breaking between them, but Thomas Partey had gone too soon and makes a hash of his finish regardless. Still, another nifty move.
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