Mikel Merino and Bukayo Saka were on target as Arsenal beat Brentford to restore their five-point lead at the top of the Premier League table.
Manager Mikel Arteta made three changes to his side that drew with Chelsea on Sunday, with Ben White, Noni Madueke, and captain Martin Odegaard coming in.
It was White and Madueke who combined in the buildup at 11 minutes, with right-back White crossing for Arsenal’s makeshift forward Merino to head home.
Merino plays regularly as Arsenal’s forward because of injuries to Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, and Viktor Gyokeres, and his goal was his 13th in 2025, the most of any Arsenal player during the year.
Bukayo Saka added the second in stoppage time after being passed in on goal by Merino from midfield, and despite Caoimhin Kelleher’s best efforts, the ball went over the line.
Brentford were kept back for much of the game but came close to equalizing in the first half when David Raya pushed Kevin Schade’s header from a corner onto the crossbar.
Arteta’s only concern was that Cristhian Mosquera and Declan Rice had to leave the game due to injuries.
Arsenal’s unbeaten record in all competitions now stands at 18 games, and it was their eighth consecutive home triumph.
The encounter against Brentford was always going to be difficult for Arsenal to manage after recent games against Tottenham Hotspur, Bayern Munich, and Chelsea that demanded so much effort.
Mikel Arteta avoided the urge to make numerous changes, keeping crucial players like Declan Rice, Martin Zubimendi, and Riccardo Calafiori in his starting lineup.
Mikel Merino also kept his spot up front, and the Spanish international added another key goal to his tally with a first-half header.
He then assisted replacement Bukayo Saka for his sixth goal in his past five games (three goals and three assists).
The Gunners have struggled with injuries this season, and there is concern that the injuries to Mosquera and Rice will put the Arsenal team to the test.
However, Arsenal continues to develop momentum and find ways to win, regardless of the opposition.
Brentford manager Keith Andrews stated before the game that earning a result against Arsenal would be a “tough task,” but the away side did their best to make life difficult for the league leaders.
Andrews made five changes to his lineup, reverting to a back five in an attempt to frustrate Arsenal and use the pace of strikers Dango Ouattara and Kevin Schade on the counterattack.
Brentford, like Arsenal, is one of the league’s most dangerous set-piece teams, and if Raya hadn’t turned Schade’s header against the crossbar, the outcome may have been different.
The visiting team was more positive in the second half, making the home audience nervous despite being only one goal behind.
However, Brentford were unable to produce an equalizer before Saka secured the points for Arsenal, meaning that the Bees have only won once away from home in the league this season.
