Gunners start 2025 with statement victory

Brentford 1–3 Arsenal:   

Arsenal moved back to second spot in the Premier League table after staging an impressive statement win to earn three valuable points at Brentford on the first day of 2025.

On a wet and windy New Year’s Day in west London, Arteta’s side displayed character to come from behind against a lively Brentford side.

Two second half goals in three minutes sealed a vital victory to underline Arsenal’s Premier League title credentials.

Arsenal moved back to second spot following a quick-fire brace after the interval by Mikel Merino and Gabi Martinelli earned the Gunners three important points in their hunt to overhaul leaders Liverpool.

Jesus had started 2025 in fine fashion when the Brazil striker made it six goals in four matches in all competitions before the half hour mark, when showing excellent anticipation to level Bryan Mbeumo’s early opener for Brentford, in a must-win match for Mikel Arteta’s side.

Bees keeper Mark Flekken gave his side a pre-match boost by passing a fitness test after being forced off after only 36 minutes last time out against Brighton.

While Kai Havertz missed the match, boss Arteta opted to fill the centre-forward spot with Jesus, while putting Ethan Nwaneri on the right flank, who had an excellent match. Martinelli filled long-term injury absentee Bukayo Saka’s place on the left flank.

In a lively opening as the rain came teeming down Mbeumo cut inside Riccardo Calafiori on his dangerous left-foot before firing past David Raya at his near post to put the Bees ahead on 13 minutes.

The goal was poor from an Arsenal point of view, with captain Martin Odegaard sloppily losing possession, prior to Christian Damsgaard feeding Mbeumo for his 11th goal of the season. Raya then should have done better on his first return to Brentford as Arsenal’s permanent keeper when the 25-year-old Bees’ talisman Mbeumo wrongfooted the Euro 2024 winner with a low drive at his near post, in a match the Gunners could ill-afford to lose, let alone draw if they wanted their Premier League title hopes to last.

Raya nearly conceded a second goal when the 29-year-old former Bees keeper desperately scrambled to claw the ball off the line from Keane Lewis-Potter’s underwhelming effort, that inexplicably went through Raya’s hands.

However, a mere 55 seconds later, just as social media was about to explode with denunciations, the Gunners equalised. Jesus showing excellent anticipation to slot home on 29 minutes, when following up Thomas Partey’s initial effort that Flekken could only parry, after Norgaard blocked Martinelli’s effort, to make it 1-1.

Arsenal showed their quality when Merino lashed home after a spot of pinball in the Bees box following Nwaneri’s corner to make the score 2-1 to Arsenal in the 50th minute.

Worse was to come for the Bees when Nwaneri again played the ball into the box, this time for Martinelli to connect perfectly and drive the ball past a despairing Flekken for his third league goal in his last four away games, to make the score 3-1 and become only the second team to win at Brentford this season. 

A statement victory indeed, as Arteta reflected on the title race after the match: “We can only do what is on our hands. The rest is nothing to do with us."

Travelling Gooners celebrating Gabi Martinelli’s goal to make it 3-1 to Arsenal here at Brentford pic.twitter.com/dgEMP2WBPM

— Layth (@laythy29) January 1, 2025