Arsenal 2-1 Brentford: Kai Havertz winner sends Gunners top of Premier League after Aaron Ramsdale error
Brentford #Brentford
Kai Havertz has scored in four consecutive Premier League appearances for the first time
Kai Havertz spared Aaron Ramsdale’s blushes as Arsenal earned a statement win over Brentford which puts them top of the Premier League before title rivals Liverpool and Manchester City meet on Sunday.
Arsenal, looking to lead the table for the first time since December, went in front through Declan Rice’s flicked header.
The home side continued to dominate possession and Havertz skewed wide their best opportunity to go further ahead.
But, out of nowhere, the good work in an assured first-half performance was undone by Ramsdale’s error.
The England keeper, playing because David Raya was ineligible against his parent club, dallied over a clearance and allowed a sliding Yoane Wissa to score.
Arsenal pushed for a second-half winner without much luck until Havertz popped up in space to head in Ben White’s cross.
Havertz, who Brentford argued should have been shown a second yellow card for diving before he scored, netted in his fourth consecutive Premier League game to put Arsenal a point clear of Liverpool and two ahead of Manchester City.
It led to joyous celebrations at Emirates Stadium, although the Gunners know their title rivals have the chance to go back above them at Anfield on Sunday.
Different performance but same result for Arsenal
What has been so impressive about Arsenal’s sparkling run to the summit is the way they have torn their opponents apart.
Thirty-one goals in seven league wins at the start of 2024 was indicative of their attacking quality, while their refusal to show any mercy once in command demonstrated a ruthless mindset.
But their eighth win in a row required a different type of mentality.
Before the visit of struggling Brentford, Gunners boss Mikel Arteta talked about his side playing with the “same energy, determination and character” as they had in blowing away the likes of West Ham, Burnley, Newcastle and Sheffield United.
Arteta stressed how they needed to earn the right to win the game – and that is eventually what they did.
It was a completely different performance to the type Arsenal have produced in recent weeks – needing to dig in, stay patient and take the big opportunity when it arrived.
The wisdom in signing Chelsea’s deep-lying forward Havertz instead of a more recognised striker has been regularly questioned, but the German proved his worth once again.
Havertz, who also scored a late winner in Arsenal’s 1-0 victory at Brentford, continued to answer any lingering critics with another goal which could prove vital when the champions are decided in May.
What had been a tense atmosphere inside the Emirates instantly became celebratory, with the home fans eventually feeling confident enough to sing “We are top of the league” in the eighth minute of stoppage time.
No-one more relieved than Ramsdale
The sight of Ramsdale cupping his ears towards the Brentford fans after Havertz’s winner was a clear indication of his relief.
The 25-year-old has been considered unfortunate by many to have lost his place as Arsenal’s first-choice goalkeeper following Raya’s arrival last summer.
With the on-loan Spaniard unavailable against his parent club, Ramsdale had the opportunity to demonstrate why he should not have been discarded by Arteta.
However, the monumental error which led to Brentford’s equaliser only serves to further justify his manager’s stance.
Arsenal were in utter control when Ramsdale allowed Brentford back into the game, dawdling on a backpass under little pressure and taking an extra touch which allowed a sliding Wissa to block the attempted clearance.
Ramsdale could only watch aghast as the ball looped back into his goal, leaving him looking distraught and stunning the 60,000 home fans into silence.
Sympathetic team-mates comforted Ramsdale when he returned to the dressing room at the half-time whistle, and he showed after the break what he can bring to the team.
Ramsdale had to be alert to push over an audacious long-range effort from Ivan Toney, and reacted quickly to deny Nathan Collins with a free header, to stop Arsenal falling 2-1 behind.
Those saves laid the foundations for Arsenal to go on and nick a late winner, with Ramsdale eventually able to smile after the final whistle.
Brentford looking nervously over shoulder
With Arsenal’s attacking capability, and Brentford’s defensive issues, the game had the potential to be problematic for the visitors.
Brentford have been hampered by a series of injuries to their key defenders, heavily contributing to a poor run which has seen Thomas Frank’s side win just three Premier League games since early November.
Conceding headed goals has been a particular problem and it will be a source of frustration to the Bees that both Arsenal goals came this way.
Rice was able to nip ahead of Mads Roerslev to meet Ben White’s cross from the right, and Havertz found space between defenders to meet another accurate ball from White.
Brentford have conceded 17 headers this season, more than any other team in the division.
After Luton’s dramatic late draw at Crystal Palace earlier on Saturday, Frank’s side are now five points clear of the relegation zone and face a battle to stay in the Premier League for a fourth successive season.
Player of the match
RiceDeclan Rice
Brentford
Squad number20Player nameAjer
Squad number1Player nameFlekken
Squad number22Player nameCollins
Squad number17Player nameToney
Squad number30Player nameRoerslev
Squad number13Player nameM Jorgensen
Squad number6Player nameNørgaard
Squad number15Player nameOnyeka
Squad number11Player nameWissa
Squad number23Player nameLewis-Potter
Squad number24Player nameDamsgaard
Squad number27Player nameJanelt
Squad number8Player nameJensen
Squad number14Player nameGhoddos
Squad number33Player nameYarmoliuk
Squad number7Player nameMaupay
Line-upsArsenal
Formation 4-3-3
1Ramsdale
4White2Saliba6Gabriel15Kiwior
8Ødegaard20Jorginho41Rice
7Saka29Havertz19Trossard
Substitutes
Brentford
Formation 3-5-2
1Flekken
13M Jorgensen20Ajer22Collins
30Roerslev15Onyeka6Nørgaard27Janelt23Lewis-Potter
17Toney11Wissa
Substitutes
Referee:Robert Jones
Attendance:60,331
Live Text
Match ends, Arsenal 2, Brentford 1.
Second Half ends, Arsenal 2, Brentford 1.
Attempt blocked. Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Reiss Nelson.
Nathan Collins (Brentford) is shown the yellow card.
Gabriel Magalhães (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Saman Ghoddos (Brentford).
Thomas Partey (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Mikkel Damsgaard (Brentford).
Substitution, Arsenal. Thomas Partey replaces Martin Ødegaard.
Gabriel Magalhães (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Ivan Toney (Brentford).
Substitution, Brentford. Saman Ghoddos replaces Vitaly Janelt.
Substitution, Brentford. Mikkel Damsgaard replaces Zanka.
Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Kristoffer Ajer (Brentford).
Goal! Arsenal 2, Brentford 1. Kai Havertz (Arsenal) header from the centre of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Ben White with a cross.
Kai Havertz (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Kristoffer Ajer (Brentford).
Substitution, Arsenal. Oleksandr Zinchenko replaces Jakub Kiwior.
Substitution, Arsenal. Reiss Nelson replaces Leandro Trossard.