Back to earth for Arsenal as Brentford take Emirates point
Brentford's Yoane Wissa celebrates scoring against Arsenal. Photo: John Walton/PA Wire.Â
Arsenal were brought crashing back down to earth after Yoane Wissa's equaliser midway through the second half saw them drop further points in the Premier League title race.
Thomas Partey had given the Gunners a deserved lead in the 60th minute after a ruthless counter-attack, but the Bees struck back with 15 minutes remaining through Wissa to secure a draw. This result leaves Arsenal's title hopes in tatters, with a ten-point gap to leaders Liverpool with just six matches remaining.
With a Champions League quarter-final second leg against Real Madrid to come, Mikel Arteta made numerous changes to his side. However, the inclusion of William Saliba, two-goal hero Declan Rice and Partey in the starting 11 was a surprise to many at the Emirates.
The opening ten minutes were devoid of quality, with the lack of action around Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken's goal resulting in a group of pigeons swarming the six yard box. This was aped by the Arsenal faithful, who after creating an incredible atmosphere in Europe were back to being subdued.
With Bukayo Saka given a rest after his Madrid heroics, it was the turn of young star Ethan Nwaneri to deputise for Arsenal's golden boy.
However the 18-year-old was given a reality check by the physical presence of the visiting defence during the opening exchanges.
It took until the 22nd minute for the game's first meaningful attack, when Kristoffer Ajer was sent bearing down on goal by Bryan Mbuemo's pass, but David Raya's outstretched leg stopped the visitors going in front.
That chance for Thomas Frank's men appeared to wake the hosts up, and they thought they had taken the lead in the 27th minute when Kieran Tierney headed home from Nwaneri's cross, but the new semi-automated offside was quick to rule out the Scotsman's first league goal since the 2021/22 season.
It took until the hour mark for the hosts to make their mark, as they took the lead following a devastating counterattack. Straight from a Brentford corner, Raya sent Rice on his way, and the midfielder carried the ball almost the entire length of the pitch before teeing up Partey to smash the ball into the back of the net.
The goal lifted the mood around the Emirates Stadium, as did the arrivals of Saka, Odegaard and Myles Lewis-Skelly onto the field.
But joy turned to despair in the 75th minute as the visitors equalised against the run of play. Substitute Michael Kayode was given far too much time to cross into the Arsenal box, Nathan Collins flicked the ball into a dangerous area for Wissa, who turned and fired home over the helpless Raya.
A chaotic couple of minutes continued as Saka disposed Flekken on the edge of the Brentford penalty area, but with an open goal at his mercy, the Englishman dawdled and was disposed by Kayode, to the disbelief of the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal pressed for a winner, but Brentford held firm to secure a deserved point. Arteta's men's attention now turns to securing a berth in the Champions League semi-final.
Raya 6; Partey (Timber, 69') 8, Saliba 6, Kiwior 6, Tierney (Lewis-Skelly, 63') 5; Jorginho 5, Zinchenko (Odegaard, 63') 6, Rice (Merino, 75') 7; Nwaneri (Saka, 63') 5, Trossard 6, Martinelli 6.
Subs not used: Neto, Henry-Francis, Sterling, Butler-Oyedeji.
Flekken 5; Ajer (Kayode, 69') 6, Collins 6, van den Berg 6, Lewis-Potter 7; Norgaard (Nunes, 90+1') 7, Janelt (Yarmoliuk, 69') 5, Damsgaard (Jensen, 80') 6; Schade 5, Wissa 7, Mbeumo 6.
Valdimarsson, Henry, Pinnock, Mee, Jensen, Konak.
Simon Hooper - 6
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