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Arsenal notched two goals in three second-half minutes to complete a 3-1 comeback victory at Brentford and move back up to second in the Premier League.
The Gunners, who had several players struck down by a virus on the eve of the game, were behind after just 13 minutes on Wednesday night when Bryan Mbeumo struck before David Raya nearly gift-wrapped the hosts a second when he allowed Keane Lewis-Potter’s shot to slip through his grasp.
Raya clawed the ball off his own line and one minute later Gabriel Jesus headed Arsenal back on level terms.
Mikel Merino then put the visitors ahead after 50 minutes before Gabriel Martinelli added a third with Ethan Nwaneri – the 17-year-old handed his first EPL start in place of the injured Bukayo Saka – involved in both goals.
“He just makes me smile,” TNT Sports pundit Karen Carney said of Nwaneri. “He’s brave, he’s bold – for someone who’s so young as well.
“For a young man he was outstanding. He was positive and a joy to watch. I can’t believe how young he is – he will be an absolute player for Arsenal.”
“He’s definitely going to get chances with Saka not available,” added former Arsenal defender Martin Keown. “It’s all there under the bonnet waiting to come out.
“It’s really important you have those players in the group demonstrating the quality coming out of the academy.”
Arteta gave Nwaneri a debut off the bench at Brentford two years ago as he became the youngest ever Arsenal player.
“We had a 17-year-old in the starting line-up who did great,” Arteta told his post-match media conference. “I thought Ethan was the best player in that position to start the game. He also made his Premier League debut here, sometimes a feeling like that can help.
“It is patience, managing frustration and expectation. We are building him.”
The win took Arsenal six points behind Liverpool – while having played a game more – and ahead of Nottingham Forest, while Brentford remain 12th.
Brentford, who’d won seven of their opening nine matches at home heading into the league’s sole New Year’s Day fixture, struck the first blow.
Martin Odegaard’s pass was intercepted by Mikkel Damsgaard, who played in Mbeumo. The Bees forward was allowed to cut inside on his strongest foot and fire in his 11th of the season.
After Arsenal just got away with Raya’s clanger, they grabbed the equaliser when Thomas Partey fizzed an effort from the edge of the area on Mark Flekken’s goal.
The diving goalkeeper failed to divert the ball from danger and Jesus threw himself at the rebound to head home his sixth goal in four appearances.
Five minutes after halftime, Arsenal went ahead after Flekken made a mess of Nwaneri’s corner and the ball fell to Jesus whose effort was blocked before Merino poked home.
Nwaneri, who became the youngest player in Premier League history at this ground two years ago, then cut in from the right flank before delivering an enticing ball into the Brentford box.
Nathan Collins headed the ball away from danger but his clearance fell only to Martinelli with the Brazilian’s lethal finish flying past a flat-footed Flekken.
Arteta’s men will have the chance to reduce the gap at the top to just three points when they travel to Brighton on Saturday, 24 hours ahead of Liverpool’s big clash with Manchester United at Anfield.
“I go into every game and I believe we can win and the way the team played today they showed they believe, too,” Brentford manager Thomas Frank said.
“But we are competing against a team that is fighting for the title so it is not a massive surprise we lost today. Hopefully we can get better and improve and I am confident we will win games.”
© AAP
