Key events
Mikel Arteta talks to TNT. “There have been a lot of highs … we have broken so many records … but the reality is the team don’t have the big titles we are looking for … there’s a gap there we have to fill … we have nine games this month so we have to be careful with the size of the squad we have … it is very difficult … we will try our best … Nwaneri has a great opportunity today … Jesus looks really sharp … a lot of energy … Brentford have been together for a long time … it is always really tough … we are going to have to be really good to win the game.”
Thomas Frank speaks to TNT Sports. “We keep building … adding layers … we are never satisfied … always want more … so what a way to start 2025 against Arsenal, one of the best teams in the world … we need to show our best side and get our fans with us … no matter who we put out there, we are very competitive … I am convinced we will be competitive today … running power in midfield is necessary today … Arsenal are very, very good on set pieces … we are also very, very good on set pieces so it is going to be an interesting battle.”
Brentford make two changes to their starting XI after the goalless draw at Brighton. Sepp van den Berg and Yehor Yarmolyuk are in; Kevin Schade drops to the bench while Ben Mee is injured.
Arsenal make four changes after their narrow home win over Ipswich. Riccardo Calafiori, Thomas Partey, Mikel Merino and Ethan Nwaneri are in. The 17-year-old Nwaneri is making his first Premier League start. Myles Lewis-Skelly, Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard are benched, while Kai Havertz is ill and misses out altogether.
The teams
Brentford: Flekken, Janelt, Collins, van den Berg, Roerslev, Norgaard, Yarmoliuk, Damsgaard, Lewis-Potter, Mbeumo, Wissa.
Subs: Vladimarsson, Schade, Jensen, Meghoma, Konak, Maghoma, Ji-soo, Yogane, Arthur.
Arsenal: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Partey, Merino, Odegaard, Nwaneri, Jesus, Martinelli.
Subs: Neto, Kiwior, Tierney, Lewis-Skelly, Jorginho, Rice, Kabia, Trossard.
Preamble
On the face of it, Arsenal have some work to do if they’re to win the Premier League. Just look!
…and yet, if they win this game – they’ve won four of their last five matches against the Bees, drawing the other one – then beat Brighton on Saturday, the gap at the top would be a mere three points. Yes, Liverpool would have two games in hand before they then take on Manchester United at Anfield on Sunday. But scoreboard pressure is scoreboard pressure, and suddenly the whole picture would be very different. So you can bet your last shiny peseta that Mikel Arteta will have his lads fired up for this one. All is not lost for the Gunners.
Then again, Brentford will be desirous of snapping a four-game run without a win to build a buffer between themselves and the relegation places. Which they shouldn’t seriously be worrying about, but when even Manchester United employees are openly talking about the dropzone, it’s probably best for everyone involved to cover all bases. All of which is a long-winded way of saying that this could be good fun. Kick-off is at 5.30pm GMT. It’s on!
