Preview: Brentford vs Arsenal – prediction, team news, line-ups

Arsenal return to Premier League action this weekend as they stroll to Brentford for Saturday evening’s London derby showdown at the Gtech Community Stadium.

Mikel Arteta will mark a milestone at the tricky weekend encounter as he prepares to take charge of his 200th game as Arsenal’s head coach. 

Fans who haven’t yet purchased tickets to the game but are still keen on attending it can buy sold-out Arsenal tickets from Seatsnet.com at competitive prices.

Pending the outcome of the blockbuster clash between Manchester City and Liverpool earlier in the day, victory for Arsenal could potentially see them finish the weekend at the summit of the Premier League table.

Arteta’s side comprehensively put Burnley to the sword, defeating the Clarets 3-1 on the eve of the international break, while Brentford suffered a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Liverpool.

Brentford showcased their attacking prowess in previous victories against Burnley, Chelsea, and West Ham United.

However, their trip to Liverpool’s Anfield fortress resulted in an emphatic defeat courtesy of a brace from Mohamed Salah and a stunning strike from Diogo Jota.

Brentford manager Thomas Frank expressed dissatisfaction with the officiating standard during the match but could not have argued with the overall outcome.

The Bees felt Wataru Endo should have been sent off for catching Christian Norgaard with his studs, but they were outplayed and outclassed in Merseyside.

Following their defeat, Brentford dropped to 11th place in the Premier League standings, displaced by Chelsea following their pulsating 4-4 draw with Man City.

Despite seeing their three-match winning streak snapped, Frank’s side remain mathematically closer to the top four than the relegation zone.

Brentford will fancy their chances of probing Arsenal’s stern defence, considering their impressive final-third capabilities on home turf.

Frank’s side will be aiming to score for the 20th Premier League game at the Gtech Stadium when Arsenal visit West London this weekend.

While only three teams have defeated Brentford at home since the start of last season, one of them was Arsenal, who will seek to replicate their recent EFL Cup success over their London rivals on Saturday.

After a deflating yet controversial defeat to Newcastle United earlier in the month, Arteta’s side responded with an emphatic 3-1 victory over relegation-threatened Burnley.

Arteta was once again critical about refereeing decisions but refrained from using any strong language as opposed to his extraordinary rant in his post-match press conference after the Newcastle game.

Fabio Vieira was shown a straight red card for a horrendous challenge on Burnley’s Josh Brownhill, but Arsenal held on for victory despite the numerical disadvantage.

Leandro Trossard, William Saliba, and Oleksandr Zinchenko had already delivered the goods, rendering Brownhill’s 54th-minute equaliser inconsequential.

By deepening Burnley’s relegation woes, Arsenal snapped a two-game domestic losing streak to sit in third place in the table, behind Liverpool on goal difference and only one point worse off than Man City. 

The Gunners are a far cry from the team that opened the season with four wins and four clean sheets in four away matches. They have since emerged victorious in just one of their last five away contests.

Having lost away at West Ham and Newcastle, Arteta’s side could lose three games in a row on the road for the first time since December 2021.

Despite recent away struggles, they have enjoyed success in their last two visits to Brentford, winning 3-0 in September 2022 and securing a 1-0 EFL Cup third-round victory. 

However, Brentford will feel fairly confident about thwarting their capital rivals at home, considering they recorded their first-ever victory against Arsenal at the Gtech Stadium over two years ago.

Match Preview

Brentford

After securing a 2-0 victory against Arsenal in their inaugural Premier League clash in August 2021, Brentford have struggled in their recent encounters with the Gunners, failing to secure a win in the last three matchups (D1, L2).

Since their 3-0 defeat to Arsenal in the corresponding fixture last season, Brentford have demonstrated resilience in London derbies, going unbeaten in their previous 14 Premier League matches against capital rivals (W8, D6). 

Only Saturday’s opponents, Arsenal (16), boasts a longer ongoing unbeaten streak (W11, D5).

Brentford’s home form has been impressive, with just one defeat in their previous ten league games at their home ground (W5, D4) since losing 3-1 against Everton in September. 

They’ve beaten Burnley 3-0 and West Ham 3-2 in their last two home fixtures, but not since March 2015 have they won three home games on the bounce while scoring 3+ goals each time.

Arsenal

Arteta is set to mark his 200th match at the helm of Arsenal in all competitions (W115, D34, L50), boasting a 57.5 win percentage.

Regardless of the outcome, the Spaniard has achieved more victories in his first 200 matches in charge of the Gunners than any of the club’s previous nine managers who reached the milestone.

Arsenal have already triumphed over Brentford away this season, securing a 1-0 victory in the League Cup third round. 

Should they replicate this success, it would be the first time they’ve won two away games against a capital rival in the same season since their victories against Crystal Palace in 1992-93 (2-1 in the Premier League and 3-1 in the League Cup).

Arsenal have emerged victorious in their last two away games against Brentford across all competitions, notably winning 3-0 in this exact fixture last season. 

This marks a significant improvement, considering they had only secured one win in their first seven visits to face the Bees between 1902 and 2021 (D1, L5).

Team News

Brentford welcomed back Ben Mee in their recent fixture after a period on the sidelines. 

Keane Lewis-Potter and Charlie Goode continued their recovery in a behind-closed-doors friendly, alongside Ivan Toney, who is set to return from suspension soon.

However, Rico Henry remains on the long-term list of absentees, alongside Josh Dasilva and Kevin Schade. 

On the Arsenal side, Fabio Vieira is unavailable for selection after receiving a straight red card against Burnley.

In terms of injuries, Jurrien Timber, Thomas Partey, and Emile Smith Rowe are expected to remain sidelined for the upcoming clash. 

However, the Gunners have been offered a reprieve on the injury front, with captain Martin Odegaard likely to be fit to start against Brentford despite not featuring for Norway due to an ongoing hip injury.

Gabriel Martinelli was carrying a knock, but he appears to have shaken off any lingering concerns after playing the entire 90 minutes and scoring for Brazil during the international break.

Brentford potential starting line-up:

(4-3-3): Mark Flekken; Kristoffer Ajer, Nathan Collins, Ethan Pinnock, Mads Roerslev; Christian Norgaard, Vitaly Janelt, Mathias Jensen; Bryan Mbeumo, Neal Maupay, Yoane Wissa.

Arsenal potential starting line-up:

(4-3-3): Aaron Ramsdale; Takehiro Tomiyasu, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Oleksandr Zinchenko; Martin Odegaard, Jorginho, Declan Rice; Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli.

We say: Brentford 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal’s defensive struggles away from home have been evident as they have failed to secure a clean sheet in any competition since September. 

The return of Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus is expected to bolster Arsenal’s attacking capabilities, but Brentford have consistently demonstrated their ability to deliver top-notch performances against formidable opponents.

While they will undoubtedly make the upcoming clash a challenge for the Gunners, we can envisage Arteta’s side departing the Gtech Stadium with maximum points.