Arsenal 2-1 Brentford
by Layth Yousif
at Ashburton Grove
A LAST-GASP header by Kai Havertz was enough to beat battling Brentford, and maintain Arsenal’s Premier League title credentials on a dramatic evening at the Emirates.
The midfielder’s late goal was enough to send the home support into raptures after a pulsating match looked to be heading for a draw — a result that would have been damaging to Mikel Arteta’s side’s hopes of maintaining their challenge for the title.
That was until Havertz seized onto Ben White’s 86th-minute cross to grab his fourth goal in as many games, as the Gunners sealed a vital 2-1 victory over Thomas Frank’s side — to make it eight league wins on the bounce in 2024 in front of a fevered crowd Saturday night crowd in north London.
The late winner was also a huge relief for Arsenal keeper Aaron Ramsdale, whose unfortunate error moments before the interval led to the Bees’ equaliser through Yoane Wissa, that could have drained momentum from the home side.
Yet, Arteta’s table toppers are made of sterner stuff these days, and attacked relentlessly in a bid for the winner — which finally came through Havertz.
Earlier, in a dominant opening by the home side, hero Havertz tested Bees keeper Mark Flekken, before Declan Rice headed home on 19 minutes to put the Gunners 1-0 ahead from White’s cross — the first of two assists from the talented and prodigiously tattooed defender. Gabriel then headed over Rice’s corner before the half hour mark.
Havertz also found himself one-on-one with keeper Flekken, but lifted his effort just wide of the post.
It was Bukayo Saka’s turn to fire the ball over Flekken’s bar, before Leandro Trossard — in for the injured Gabi Martinelli following the 6-0 rout at Sheffield United on Monday — attempted a low drive.
Referee Robert Jones found time to book Havertz for catching Kristoffer Ajer with an arm, to make it four bookings in total in a first half completely devoid of enmity between the sides.
However, as the clock ticked down towards the interval, the ball fell to Ramsdale, who dithered ever so slightly, allowing Bees attacker Wissa the chance to slide in and block the Arsenal keeper’s attempted clearance.
To his horror, along with everyone else in red and white, the ball ended up in the net as the sides somehow went into half time level at 1-1.
Bees boss Frank sagely noted it was Wissa’s “unbelievable pressure” that forced Ramsdale’s error, not the mistake itself that led to the equaliser, but, nonetheless, it was a galling misstep for the home side, and Arteta’s No2 keeper.
Yet Ramsdale showed strength of character after the interval to deny former Arsenal target Ivan Toney’s audacious second half lob, while also preventing a Nathan Collins header.
As the clock ticked down in the second half, Havertz — who could arguably have been sent off for a second yellow after feigning injury in the box in a bid to win a penalty — headed home White’s cross for the late winner that made sure of the three points, in what could well possibly be loyal Gunners servant Ramsdale’s final game in Arsenal colours.
Speaking after the match, Arteta praised his keeper’s “huge personality and courage,” while also adding: “We really wanted to win for him in that moment.”
A fitting end to his career in north London if that is the case. Even if you suspect, just like this enthralling title race, there are plenty of twists and turns to come over the next two months.
For now, Arteta and his team can put their feet up before the challenge of Porto and turning around a 1-0 Champions League deficit on Tuesday.
No wonder a buoyant Arteta said, already looking towards the tie: “This stadium is going to have energy you have never seen in your life.”
If the forthcoming clash against the Portuguese champions is anything like Saturday night’s match against the Bees, then Arsenal supporters can expect to gorge themselves on another delicious contest.
