With 45 points and a game in hand, Liverpool are currently on the path to the title, but Arsenal (39 pts) didn’t give up at the end of the year, with three consecutive victories in twelve days.
Trailing 1-0 after 14 minutes of play, the ‘Gunners’ reacted with Gabriel Jesus (1-1, 29th), before killing the match in three minutes in the second half thanks to Mikel Merino (2-1, 50th) and Gabriel Martinelli (3-1, 53rd). Nottingham Forest (37 pts), winner 2-0 at Everton on Sunday, overtook Chelsea (35 pts) and occupies third place alone.
At Brentford, however, Arsenal struggled to get into the match. After a very good start, the locals logically opened the score before the quarter of an hour of play when Cameroonian international Bryan Mbeumo concluded a counter-attack following a transition played very quickly (1-0, 13th). His shot deceived Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya at the near post.
More reactive than organized, Mikel Arteta’s men nevertheless showed character. At the end of a high-intensity sequence where both teams could have scored, Gabriel Jesus gave the ‘Gunners’ the advantage, by catching a ball pushed back by the goalkeeper with a diving header (1-1, 29th ).
In the second period, the Londoners appeared much more organized and clearly dominated the debates. Mikel Merino gave them the advantage by recovering a messed up ball in the area following a corner (2-1, 50th).
On the following action, the Brazilian Gabriel Martinelli gave the finishing blowwith a superb control-volley sequence – again on a ball poorly repelled by the defense – which left the Brentford goalkeeper no chance (3-1, 53rd).
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said after the match that a virus had complicated preparations for the match. Germany striker Kai Havertz was sent home with the virus, while England midfielder Declan Rice was only able to take the field in the second half.
The captain Martin Odegaard was also reported to have been touched before kick-off, and, although he was eventually able to play, he made an error which led to Bryan Mbeumo opening the scoring for Brentfordand was replaced in the second half. “It affected the players on and off the field. (…) Nothing serious. But it was not an ideal situation,” commented the ‘Gunners’ coach.
“As far as symptoms go, with Kai (Havertz), it was obvious. He wasn’t feeling well at all. He had very clear symptoms… So get away from him, put him in a car and go back to London!” Arteta hopes the virus will be nothing more than a bad memory for his side’s trip to Brighton on Saturday.
