Kai Havertz scored the winner with 4 minutes to go as Arsenal beat Brentford 2-1 – however solely after the ahead averted a second yellow card for simulation earlier within the half.
A Declan Rice header put the Gunners forward on 19 minutes, earlier than Yoane Wissa confirmed nice work fee and endeavour to shut down Aaron Ramsdale and deflect within the equaliser in first-half stoppage-time.
Havertz, having been booked for a foul within the opening 45 minutes, dived over Nathan Collins’ problem within the second interval, and the referee opted to not ship him off.
After which, on 86 minutes, the Arsenal ahead headed dwelling Ben White’s cross to win the sport for his facet and ship the Gunners to the highest of the Premier League.
Rice header places Arsenal forward earlier than Wissa equalises in stoppage-time
Thomas Frank made one change to the crew that drew 2-2 with Chelsea, as Keane Lewis-Potter changed Sergio Reguilón within the beginning XI. Frank confirmed that the Spanish left-back was lacking as a consequence of a minor hamstring damage.
Mikel Arteta made two switches to his Arsenal facet: David Raya, unavailable in opposition to his father or mother membership, was changed by Ramsdale; Gabriel Martinelli additionally dropped out, with Leandro Trossard coming in.
The hosts dominated possession within the opening levels, with Bukayo Saka often receiving the ball and seeking to get to the byline and put in a cross.
Brentford’s first likelihood got here on 10 minutes, when Wissa was pulled again by Gabriel on the sting of the realm. Keane Lewis-Potter’s supply to the again submit seemed one, however nobody may get on the top of it.
The Bees had one other set-piece quickly after, this time a nook, nevertheless it was the north Londoners who nearly carved a gap from it. A Christian Nørgaard header went straight into Ramsdale’s arms and the keeper began an prompt counter assault with a protracted ball by way of to Trossard. It seemed just like the Belgian was in on aim however for some fast and intelligent defending from Mads Roerslev, who ultimately received a aim kick for his facet.
However the Gunners did take the lead quickly after, on 19 minutes, by way of Rice. A Ben White cross was curled into the field from deep, and the England worldwide rose highest contained in the penalty space to move dwelling the opener.
Havertz had an amazing likelihood to double Arsenal’s lead 10 minutes earlier than the break. A ball excessive from Rice was fed into the ahead, who beat the offside lure and was one-on-one with Flekken. He lifted the ball over the Bees keeper, nevertheless it dropped simply large of the far submit.
And it was Brentford who delivered the ultimate blow of the primary half. Gabriel rolled a move again to Ramsdale and Wissa chased down what gave the impression to be a misplaced trigger. Because the keeper had possession contained in the six-yard field, Wissa slid in as he tried to clear, which noticed the ball deflect off him and into the again of the online.
Havertz lucky to keep away from second yellow card earlier than scoring late winner
Toney nearly scored one of many targets of the season on 55 minutes. A ball excessive was bouncing simply forward of the centre-forward, 45 yards from aim. He seemed up, noticed Ramsdale off his line, and struck it with the surface of his boot, however an amazing save from the back-pedalling Gunners stopper saved it out.
The hosts had been pushing, although. A number of corners rained down on the Brentford aim, just for the west Londoners to repeatedly get them clear.
Havertz was fortunate to flee a second yellow card, after he was booked within the first half. He dived over the problem of Collins, however the referee determined to not ship the Gunners ahead off for simulation.
Collins had a incredible likelihood to make it 2-1 to the guests, when he met Kristoffer Ajer’s curling cross along with his head from shut vary. Once more, a full-stretch Ramsdale cease prevented the Bees from taking the lead.
Rice nearly doubled his tally with quarter-hour left on the Emirates, as he opened up his physique and struck a incredible effort from the sting of the field in the direction of the top-right nook. It beat Flekken however crashed again off the submit.
Havertz then scored the winner with 5 minutes to play. A cross from White discovered the German inside the realm and he headed previous Flekken to win the sport and ship the hosts to the highest of the league.
Arsenal: Ramsdale, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior (Zinchenko 80), Jorginho (Jesus 70), Ødegaard (Partey 90+), Rice, Saka, Havertz, Trossard (Nelson 80)
Subs not used: Hein, Cédric, Vieira, Smith Rowe, Nketiah
Brentford: Flekken, Zanka (Damsgaard 90), Ajer, Collins, Roerslev, Oneyka (Yarmoliuk 78), Nørgaard (Jensen 34), Janelt (Ghoddos 90), Lewis-Potter, Wissa (Maupay 78), Toney
Subs not used: Strakosha, Ji-soo, Arthur, Baptiste
Attendance: 60,331
Frank: Arsenal efficiency ought to make Brentford followers unbelievably proud
Regardless of defeat, Brentford head coach Thomas Frank acknowledged how proud he was of his Bees gamers after an “unimaginable” efficiency in opposition to top-of-the-table Arsenal.
“The mentality, the hassle, the shift, the persona this crew is exhibiting ought to make all of the Brentford followers unbelievably proud,” Frank acknowledged.
“How a lot they fought for the badge was unimaginable, in opposition to the in-form crew within the Premier League. Everybody, rightly so, was praising Arsenal; they’ve scored nevertheless many targets within the final seven video games and we saved them to a really, very, very minimal.
“You possibly can argue that we had the larger likelihood, with Nathan Collins at 1-1 within the second half.
“And, after all, it’s very clear that [Kai] Havertz ought to have a transparent second yellow after which he would have a purple card and never be capable to rating the winner. We might then play 11 in opposition to 10, and that will have given us an excellent greater likelihood to win the sport.”
Janelt: We fought for one another for 90 minutes
Midfielder Vitaly Janelt expressed his frustration at Brentford’s slim defeat to Arsenal, however insisted the Bees’ can take loads of positives from their efficiency at Emirates Stadium.
“We’re disenchanted,” he mentioned. “We put an amazing shift in and had a very huge likelihood for Nathan [Collins] from a cross from [Kristoffer] Ajer. It was a giant likelihood to attain to steer 2-1. It was an amazing shift, however we didn’t get the factors.
“Proper now, I don’t assume momentum is with us. Everybody anticipated that Arsenal would win by three, 4, 5 at this time due to their final outcomes, however everybody is aware of how troublesome it’s to play in opposition to us both at dwelling or away.
“They didn’t create many probabilities and, for me, it was a transparent yellow after which purple to Havertz; it was a transparent dive for me. Then he scores the winner, however that’s soccer.
“The aim for Wissa reveals how onerous we work – we by no means cease. Arsenal away, we nonetheless pressed them excessive and tried every little thing to attain.”