Match ends, Brentford 0, Arsenal 1.
BrentfordBrentford0ArsenalArsenal1
Substitute Kai Havertz's late header took Arsenal to the top of the Premier League with a dramatic win at Brentford.
In Mikel Arteta's 200th game in charge of the Gunners, Havertz's 89th-minute goal rescued a largely forgettable display in west London.
After Manchester City and Liverpool drew earlier on Saturday, this win moves the Gunners one point clear at the summit.
Arsenal's Leandro Trossard had a goal ruled out in the first half by the video assistant referee (VAR) but defeat was harsh on Brentford who were only denied goals of their own by exceptional clearances off the line from Declan Rice and Oleksandr Zinchenko.
Arteta has won more matches in his first 200 in charge than any of the other nine Arsenal managers to reach that milestone - and his bold team selection here showed he was determined to take three points.
However, the return of Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus from injury did not really bear fruit in a mostly ponderous display.
They upped the tempo in the second half but waves of attacks were repelled by Thomas Frank's well-drilled defence.
That was the case until a moment of magic from Bukayo Saka finally unlocked the door and Havertz produced his most significant contribution in an Arsenal shirt to head home at the back post.
Brentford stay 11th in the table after their second successive defeat.
Havertz makes defining impact as Ramsdale recovers
It has been an inauspicious start to life in north London for £65m signing Havertz, with just one goal and one assist before Saturday since his arrival from Chelsea.
While Arteta has continued to back him publicly, he was left out to accommodate the return of Odegaard and had to watch as his team-mates failed to fire for much of the game.
Summoned from the bench with 12 minutes to go, he had the defining say when he squeezed his header over the line from a tight angle.
It could be a huge moment in the context of his Arsenal career.
Before Havertz's arrival, the only real sub-plot was whether Aaron Ramsdale could make the most of his first Premier League start since September, given on-loan keeper David Raya was ineligible against his parent club.
The home fans revelled in a shaky first half from the England man, who was indebted to Rice for a brilliant block on the line.
However, as he composed himself, the game drifted into dull stalemate between two sides who usually do not lose London derbies.
When the Gunners finally found a spark, Trossard's close-range header after Mark Flekken saved from Jesus was ruled out after a VAR review.
In truth, Jesus should have buried the header himself from eight yards out before the offside decision.
If Havertz can now find his goalscoring touch, that might ease the burden on the Brazil striker who looked leggy after playing in South America during the international break.
Player of the match
HavertzKai Havertz
with an average of 8.36
Brentford
Avg
- Squad number5Player namePinnockAverage rating
5.47
- Squad number16Player nameMeeAverage rating
5.36
- Squad number20Player nameAjerAverage rating
5.22
- Squad number19Player nameMbeumoAverage rating
5.14
- Squad number14Player nameGhoddosAverage rating
5.09
- Squad number1Player nameFlekkenAverage rating
5.02
- Squad number6Player nameNørgaardAverage rating
5.00
- Squad number15Player nameOnyekaAverage rating
4.95
- Squad number11Player nameWissaAverage rating
4.89
- Squad number27Player nameJaneltAverage rating
4.85
- Squad number33Player nameYarmoliukAverage rating
4.70
- Squad number26Player nameBaptisteAverage rating
4.68
- Squad number23Player nameLewis-PotterAverage rating
4.44
- Squad number13Player nameM JorgensenAverage rating
4.36
- Squad number7Player nameMaupayAverage rating
4.26
Arsenal
Avg
Squad number29Player nameHavertzAverage rating8.36
- Squad number41Player nameRiceAverage rating
8.32
- Squad number2Player nameSalibaAverage rating
8.09
- Squad number19Player nameTrossardAverage rating
7.93
- Squad number6Player nameGabriel MagalhãesAverage rating
7.90
- Squad number35Player nameZinchenkoAverage rating
7.88
- Squad number7Player nameSakaAverage rating
7.87
- Squad number1Player nameRamsdaleAverage rating
7.62
- Squad number18Player nameTomiyasuAverage rating
7.58
- Squad number8Player nameØdegaardAverage rating
7.47
- Squad number11Player nameGabriel MartinelliAverage rating
7.44
- Squad number9Player nameGabriel JesusAverage rating
7.27
- Squad number4Player nameWhiteAverage rating
7.14
- Squad number20Player nameJorginhoAverage rating
6.75
- Squad number14Player nameNketiahAverage rating
6.65
Line-ups
Brentford
Formation 5-3-2
- 1Flekken
- 14GhoddosSubstituted forM Jorgensenat 90'minutes
- 20AjerBooked at 45mins
- 5Pinnock
- 16Mee
- 27Janelt
- 15OnyekaSubstituted forLewis-Potterat 90'minutes
- 6Nørgaard
- 33YarmoliukSubstituted forBaptisteat 72'minutes
- 19Mbeumo
- 11WissaSubstituted forMaupayat 72'minutes
Substitutes
- 4Goode
- 7Maupay
- 13M Jorgensen
- 21Strakosha
- 23Lewis-Potter
- 25Peart-Harris
- 26Baptiste
- 37Olakigbe
- 38Brierley
Arsenal
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Ramsdale
- 18Tomiyasu
- 2Saliba
- 6Gabriel
- 35Zinchenko
- 8ØdegaardSubstituted forJorginhoat 90+3'minutes
- 41Rice
- 19Trossard
- 7SakaSubstituted forWhiteat 90+3'minutes
- 9Gabriel JesusSubstituted forNketiahat 66'minutes
- 11MartinelliBooked at 56minsSubstituted forHavertzat 79'minutes
Substitutes
- 4White
- 14Nketiah
- 15Kiwior
- 17Cédric Soares
- 20Jorginho
- 24Nelson
- 25Elneny
- 29Havertz
- 31Hein
- Referee:
- Tim Robinson
- Attendance:
- 17,201
Match Stats
Home TeamBrentfordAway TeamArsenal
- Possession
- Home36%
- Away64%
- Shots
- Home9
- Away15
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away4
- Corners
- Home1
- Away8
- Fouls
- Home9
- Away7
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Brentford 0, Arsenal 1.
Substitution
Substitution, Arsenal. Ben White replaces Bukayo Saka.
Substitution
Substitution, Arsenal. Jorginho replaces Martin Ødegaard.
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Takehiro Tomiyasu (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Kristoffer Ajer (Brentford).
Substitution
Substitution, Brentford. Keane Lewis-Potter replaces Frank Onyeka.
Substitution
Substitution, Brentford. Zanka replaces Saman Ghoddos.
Goal!
Goal! Brentford 0, Arsenal 1. Kai Havertz (Arsenal) header from the left side of the six yard box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Bukayo Saka with a cross.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Takehiro Tomiyasu (Arsenal) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
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Attempt saved. Eddie Nketiah (Arsenal) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Bukayo Saka.
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Attempt missed. William Saliba (Arsenal) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right.
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Foul by Takehiro Tomiyasu (Arsenal).
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Saman Ghoddos (Brentford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Frank Onyeka.
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Attempt blocked. Declan Rice (Arsenal) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Leandro Trossard.
Substitution
Substitution, Arsenal. Kai Havertz replaces Gabriel Martinelli.
Post update
Declan Rice (Arsenal) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Shandon Baptiste (Brentford).
Post update
Attempt missed. Neal Maupay (Brentford) left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box misses to the left. Assisted by Vitaly Janelt.
Comments
Join the conversation
Yes he had some dicey moments and he was clearly nervous.
He could have capitulated but he grew stronger and stronger through the match!
Well played Aaron! That took guts
How they drew the likes for that offside I'll never know when Gabby was in the air.
Rice is just immense as well.
It is a funny old game.
Look it's crap but it's been a very boring Saturday and it's all I've got