Kai Havertz nodded in a 89th minute winner to send Arsenal top of the Premier League with a 1-0 win at Brentford.
Havertz nodded in from Bukayo Saka’s 89th minute cross to snatch a scrappy victory in a game where they had struggled to convert their chances.
Arsenal however could of won by two goals if not for Leandro Trossard’s 42nd minute headed goal ruled offside by Video-Assistant-Referee (VAR).
Their victory put Arsenal on the Premier League summit for the first time this season, whilst Brentford remain in 11th position.
A 1-1 draw betwen title rivals, Manchester City and Liverpool in the lunchtime kick-off meant that Arsenal knew that victory would put them top of the table, which almost became live reality just four minutes in but Gabriel Martinelli nodded Martin Odegaard’s free-kick wide.
Trossard then rifled wide of the top-right corner after Mark Flekken had flapped away a tenth minute corner.
Arsenal though had kept just one clean sheet in their last four league matches and were handed an almighty scare in the 13th minute, as a short passing move between Aaron Ramsdale and Gabriel saw the former intercepted by Yoane Wissa.
Wissa proceeded to flick the ball behind him to Bryan Mbeumo who curled towards the bottom-left corner, yet found Declan Rice well positioned to block his shot and Wissa scruffed his rebound shot wide of the opposite corner from close-range.
Brentford however refused to roll over and neat movement up the right in the 23rd minute eventually found Christian Norgaard, who smashed his shot over the bar from a cutback pass.
Arsenal two minutes later wasted a chance to take the lead as Trossard nodded Oleksandr Zinchenko’s cross over the bar.
Zinchenko whipped in another cross in the 39th minute which took a slight touch off Vitaly Janely towards the right post, but Gabriel Jesus struggled to get a clean shot as he rifled over the bar.
Jesus wasted a further chance two minutes late as he met Martinelli’s cross but his shot towards the top-left corner was blocked by Flekken.
Those two opportunities eventually paid dividends as Arsenal decided to change tactic to a cross based style, rather than continue with their pass-based counter attacks.
That gamble seemingly proved the difference in the 42nd minute as Saka’s cross was nodded upon goal by Jesus, but Flekken flapped his save of the Brazilian’s header for Trossard to nod into the top-right corner to put the Gunners ahead.
VAR however adjudged Trossard’s right foot marginally offside and disallowed the goal, as Brentford clung on to stay level at half-time.
That late first-half spark fired Arsenal up as the second half began which saw Saka break up the right but Odegaad flicked his low cross wide of the near-bottom right corner.
Brentford however proved to be just as dangerous on the counter as a 52nd minute attack saw Wissa flick the ball behind for Mbeumo to chase, but the Cameroon international fired wide of an empty net after Ramsdale came out to block his shot.
Wissa and Mbeumo combined ten minutes later on another counter as the pair played Frank Onyeka up the right, as Wissa overlapped but the return cross was saved by Ramsdale before it fell to the feet of the 27 year-old.
Arsenal meanwhile struggled to find more pace to unlock Brentford’s resilient defence and were almost punished on a 71st minute counter-attack, with Ramsdale alert to save Yehor Yarmoliuk’s long-range strike towards goal.
Zinchenko proved to be the Gunners’ lucky star in the 77th minute as a piece of scruffy defending allowed Mbeumo to play a chipped cutback pass into the box, yet the Ukranian crucially blocked substiute, Neal Maupay’s header and the Frenchman put the rebound shot wide.
Arsenal eventually settled in a comfortable spell late on but Declan Rice and William Saliba saw shots go wide, whilst Eddie Nketiah’s 85th minute low shot was saved by Flekken.
Brentford’s resolute defence ultimately couln’t hold out amidst intense pressure as Saka’s curled cross was nodded into the bottom far-left corner by Havertz.
Arsenal now sit top of the table after succesfully surviving a late wave of pressure, whilst Brentford remain 11th and outside of the top ten on goal difference to West London rivals, Chelsea.
What’s Next?
Brentford will again be at home as they welcome relegation-battling Luton to West London on Saturday 2 December in a 3pm GMT kick-off.
Arsenal turn their attention to Champions League action on Wednesday 29 November, where they look to secure qualification for the knockout stages at home to Lens.
Mikel Arteta’s Gunners will then be at home again for the second time in three days, as they return to league action next Saturday against Wolves in a 3pm kick-off.
Teams
Brentford: Mark Flekken, Kristoffer Ajer, Ben Mee, Ethan Pinnock, Vitaly Janelt, Christian Norgaard, Frank Onyeka (Lewis-Potter 90+1′), Yehor Yarmoliuk (Baptiste 72′), Bryan Mbeumo, Saman Ghoddos (Zanka 90′), Yoane Wissa (Maupay 72′)
Substitutes: Thomas Strakosha, Charlie Goode, Neal Maupay, Zanka, Keane Lewis-Potter, Myles Peart-Harris, Shandon Baptiste, Ethan Brierley, Michael Olakigbe
Arsenal: Aaron Ramsdale, Takehiro Tomiyasu, William Saliba, Gabriel, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard (Jorginho 90+2′), Leandro Trossard, Bukayo Saka (White 90+2′), Gabriel Jesus (Nketiah 66′), Gabriel Martinelli (Havertz 79′)
Substitutes: Karl Hein, Ben White, Cedric Soares, Jakub Kiwior, Jorginho, Mohamed Elneny, Reiss Nelson, Kai Havertz, Eddie Nketiah
Referee: Tim Robinson
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