Arsenal’s title race falters with draw against Brentford
Arsenal’s grip on the Premier League title has loosened considerably after they could only manage a 1-1 draw against a determined Brentford side on Thursday evening, reports BritPanorama.
The Gunners have seen their lead at the top dwindle from nine points to just three since the weekend, with Manchester City now looming closely after their midweek victory over Fulham.
Mikel Arteta acknowledged the mounting pressure before the match, stating, “For seven months we have been doing that. We are used to it.” However, his team appeared anything but comfortable, with Brentford arguably deserving all three points.
Noni Madueke, who is not typically known for aerial prowess, opened the scoring for Arsenal, connecting brilliantly with Piero Hincapie’s delivery to head the ball past Brentford’s goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher.
Yet, Brentford responded almost immediately. Following a chaotic moment in the Arsenal box initiated by Michael Kayode’s long throw, Sepp van den Berg flicked the ball on for Keane Lewis-Potter, who managed to equalize within moments.
Arsenal’s task was made even more challenging by the absence of William Saliba due to illness and Kai Havertz, who sustained a muscle issue in their previous match against Sunderland. Cristhian Mosquera and Eberechi Eze returned to the starting lineup for the first time in two months, although neither had a significant impact.
In the opening stages, Gabriel Magalhaes displayed early jitters, sending the ball straight out for a corner within the third minute. Eze, struggling in the role, was replaced at half-time by Martin Odegaard following his recovery from injury.
The final moments of the match were frantic, with both teams missing golden opportunities to secure victory. Igor Thiago squandered a key chance in injury time by shooting over, having found himself unmarked in the box, while Gabriel Martinelli thought he had clinched the win for Arsenal, only to be thwarted by a remarkable save from Kelleher.
As the season progresses, Arsenal supporters are likely feeling increasingly anxious about their title aspirations, with pressure mounting and challenges ahead in the race for the Premier League.
