Mikel Merino and Bukayo Saka found the net as Arsenal defeated Brentford, re-establishing their five-point advantage at the Premier League summit.
Manager Mikel Arteta implemented three changes to the lineup that drew with Chelsea on Sunday, bringing in Ben White, Noni Madueke, and captain Martin Odegaard.
White and Madueke linked up effectively in the 11th minute, with right-back White delivering a cross that allowed Merino, Arsenal’s makeshift striker, to score with a header.
Due to injuries to Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, and Viktor Gyokeres, Merino has frequently stepped in as Arsenal’s forward, and his goal marked his 13th in 2025, making him the club’s top scorer for the year.
Saka sealed the win with a second goal in stoppage time, receiving a pass from Merino and despite the efforts of Brentford’s Caoimhin Kelleher, the ball crossed the line.
Brentford spent much of the match on the defensive but nearly equalized in the first half when Kevin Schade’s header from a corner was tipped onto the crossbar by David Raya.
Arteta’s only concern was the injuries to Cristhian Mosquera and Declan Rice, who both had to be substituted.
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This victory extends Arsenal’s unbeaten streak to 18 matches across all competitions and marks their eighth consecutive home win.
Facing Brentford was always expected to be challenging for Arsenal following their recent matches against Tottenham Hotspur, Bayern Munich, and Chelsea, which demanded significant effort.
Arteta opted against making extensive changes, keeping key players like Declan Rice, Martin Zubimendi, and Riccardo Calafiori in the starting lineup.
Merino retained his position up front and scored an important first-half goal, then assisted Saka, marking his sixth contribution in the last five games (three goals and three assists).
Injuries have plagued Arsenal throughout the season, and the concerns over Mosquera and Rice could further test the squad’s depth.
Nevertheless, Arsenal continues to gain momentum and find ways to secure results against any opponent.
Brentford’s manager, Keith Andrews, acknowledged before the match that earning a result against Arsenal would be a “tough task,” but his team aimed to challenge the league leaders.
Andrews made five changes to his lineup, switching to a back five in an effort to frustrate Arsenal and leverage the speed of forwards Dango Ouattara and Kevin Schade for counter-attacks.
Brentford, like Arsenal, is one of the league’s most dangerous teams from set-pieces, and had Schade’s header not been deflected onto the crossbar by Raya, the outcome might have been different.
