Arsenal produce a high-quality response to come back from behind and beat Brentford

Arsenal scored two targets in three minutes within the second half to say a 3-1 victory at Brentford and transfer again as much as second place within the Premier League.

The Gunners had been behind after simply 13 minutes when Bryan Mbeumo struck for Brentford earlier than David Raya nearly gave the hosts a present a second when he allowed Keane Lewis-Potter’s shot to slide previous him.

Raya collected the ball on his personal line and a minute later Gabriel Jesus introduced Arsenal again into degree phrases.

Mikel Merino then put the guests forward after 50 minutes earlier than Gabriel Martinelli added a 3rd with Ethan Nwaneri – the 17-year-old handed his first Premier League begin instead of the injured Bukayo Saka – concerned for each functions.

The victory took Arsenal six factors behind Liverpool – having performed a recreation extra – and forward of Nottingham Forest. Brentford stay twelfth.

Mikel Arteta’s males could have the chance to cut back the hole to only three factors after they journey to Brighton on Saturday, 24 hours earlier than Liverpool conflict with Manchester United at Anfield.

Brentford had received seven of their opening 9 house matches earlier than the league’s solely New Yr’s recreation they usually dealt the primary blow right here.

Martin Odegaard’s cross was intercepted by Mikkel Damsgaard and the guests all of the sudden rushed in the direction of their very own aim. Damsgaard performed in Mbeumo, with Riccardo Calafiori failing to place sufficient strain on the Brentford striker.

Mbeumo was allowed to chop inside onto his stronger foot earlier than firing previous Raya at his close to put up. Raya will likely be disenchanted to have been crushed on the nearest bat. Nonetheless, it was a high-quality end from the in-form Mbeumo to take his tally for the season to 11.

Solely Mohamed Salah, Erling Haaland, Cole Palmer and Alexander Isak have scored greater than Mbeumo within the Premier League to this point.

Arsenal had been troubled they usually nearly misplaced two targets behind after a noise from Raya.

Lewis-Potter’s moderately innocuous shot slipped by way of his fingers and a red-faced Raya was pressured to scramble in the direction of his aim. Raya caught the ball on the line together with his left glove and his redness was spared.

Moments later, Arsenal equalized. The Bees missed a number of possibilities to clear their strains earlier than Thomas Partey fired in an effort from the sting of the field for Mark Flekken’s aim.

The diving goalkeeper failed to show the ball away from hazard and Jesus pounced on the rebound to go house, scoring his sixth aim in 4 appearances, with Arteta and Odegaard holding an impromptu crew chat on the road. contact.

The second half then lasted simply 5 minutes when Arsenal took the lead, predictably, from a set piece.

Flekken wasted Nwaneri’s nook and the ball fell to Jesus whose effort was blocked earlier than Merino headed house. It was Arsenal’s twenty fifth aim from a nook because the begin of final season.

Brentford had barely caught their breath when the guests added a 3rd. And Nwaneri was concerned once more.

Nwaneri, who grew to become the youngest participant in Premier League historical past on this pitch two years in the past, minimize in from the appropriate flank earlier than delivering a tantalizing ball into the Brentford field. Nathan Collins headed the ball away from hazard however his clearance solely fell to Martinelli with a deadly end from the Brazilian previous a flat-footed Flekken.

Arsenal had been rampant and the life had been sucked out of the Gtech Neighborhood Stadium.

Because the Gunners cruised to victory, Nwaneri was substituted 13 minutes from time. However his efficiency will give Arteta hope he has discovered one other answer to beat Saka’s two-month dismissal and ship the Gunners their first title in twenty years.