With David Raya unable to play against his parent club, Mikel Arteta turned to Aaron Ramsdale between the sticks. But when his formerly trusty number one lost the ball inside his six-yard box to Yoane Wissa his heart was in his mouth.
Fortunately for Arsenal, as Wissa teed up Bryan Mbeumo, Ramsdale’s blushes were spared by Declan Rice, who heroically cleared off the line.
Arsenal’s reaction was initially muted, and they failed to muster a shot on target before the 40th minute, although they did come close to snatching a surprise lead when Gabriel Jesus flashed an effort wide at the near post.
Jesus was again involved just before the break, as Arsenal finally thought they’d forced the issue, ghosting into the area to head in Bukayo Saka’s cross. And after his initial effort was saved by Mark Flekken, Leandro Trossard was on hand to head home on the goal line for the second Gunners’ game in succession, before VAR adjudged him to have strayed offside.
Stale would perhaps be the best way to describe the game after the restart, and in the need for some impetus to snatch what would’ve been a big three points for both sides, the two managers made attacking changes in search of seizing the initiative.
Neither side’s switches particularly had the desired effect, and Arsenal’s frustration was perhaps best evidenced when their full-back Oleksandr Zinchenko decided to try his luck from 30 yards. Not even the most ardent visiting fan, however, would have been surprised to see it fly off target.
The Ukrainian showed the better side of his game just moments later though, unleashing his inner Rice by heroically clearing Neal Maupay’s goalward effort off the line.
That seemed to jolt Arsenal into life a little, and both William Saliba and Rice came close to breaking the deadlock from distance.
However, Arsenal eventually found a way through as the game approached the 90th minute, when Kai Havertz headed home Bukayo Saka’s cross at the far post, sending his side to the PL summit and condemning Brentford to just their second PL home defeat of the season.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Declan Rice (Arsenal)
