Highlights of Arsenal vs Brentford

Arsenal secured a thrilling 3-1 comeback victory over Brentford in their first Premier League match of 2025. The win marked a significant turnaround for the Gunners, who had trailed 1-0 at halftime. The match got off to a lively start, with both teams creating scoring opportunities. Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo had a chance to open the scoring in the 10th minute, but his shot was saved by Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya. However, Mbeumo made no mistake just three minutes later. The Brentford striker latched onto a through ball and fired a low shot past Raya to give the Bees a 1-0 lead. Arsenal struggled to create clear-cut scoring opportunities in the first half, with Brentford's defense holding firm. However, the Gunners finally found their breakthrough in the 29th minute. Thomas Partey's shot was saved by Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken, but Gabriel Jesus was on hand to head in the rebound and equalize for Arsenal. The first half ended with the score tied at 1-1, but Arsenal came out strong in the second half. Mikel Merino scored the go-ahead goal in the 50th minute, poking the ball home after Flekken's clearance fell to him. Just three minutes later, Arsenal sealed the win with a third goal. Ethan Nwaneri's cross was headed back to Gabriel Martinelli, who rifled a shot into the net to make it 3-1. The win marked a significant turnaround for Arsenal, who had struggled to break down Brentford's defense in the first half. However, the Gunners' second-half performance was much improved, with Merino and Martinelli's goals capping off a dominant display. Brentford, on the other hand, will be disappointed with their second-half performance. The Bees had looked solid in the first half, but were unable to cope with Arsenal's pressure after the break. In the post-match press conference, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta praised his team's second-half performance. "We knew it would be a tough match, but the players showed great character and spirit to come back and win," he said. Brentford boss Thomas Frank, meanwhile, lamented his team's defensive mistakes. "We made too many errors at the back, and Arsenal punished us," he said. The win takes Arsenal back up to second place in the Premier League table, cutting Liverpool's lead to six points. Brentford, meanwhile, drops to 10th place, with 24 points from 18 matches. Overall, the match was an exciting and closely contested encounter, with both teams creating scoring opportunities. However, Arsenal's superior finishing and defensive solidity ultimately proved decisive in securing the three points. _Match Stats:_ - Possession: Arsenal 58%, Brentford 42% - Shots on target: Arsenal 7, Brentford 3 - Corners: Arsenal 6, Brentford 4 - Fouls: Arsenal 12, Brentford 15 _Lineups:_ Arsenal: David Raya, Ben White, Gabriel Magalhaes, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Thomas Partey, Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, Ethan Nwaneri Brentford: Mark Flekken, Ethan Pinnock, Kristoffer Ajer, Ben Mee, Rico Henry, Christian Norgaard, Vitaly Janelt, Mathias Jensen, Bryan Mbeumo, Ivan Toney