Arsenal's squad depth continued to be tested as they played their fourth match in 10 days, following encounters with Tottenham and Chelsea in the Premier League and Bayern in the Champions League. Coach Mikel Arteta was thus forced to rotate key players like Jurrien Timber, Eberechi Eze, and Bukayo Saka, who started on the bench.

Even without their strongest lineup, the "Gunners" dominated the game. The hosts controlled 64% of possession, taking 15 shots with seven on target, compared to Brentford's five shots and zero on target.

Mikel Merino celebrates the opening goal during Arsenal's 2-0 victory over Brentford in Premier League round 14 at Emirates Stadium, London, England on 3/12. *Photo: Reuters*

Arsenal started proactively, opening the scoring in the 11th minute. On the right wing, Noni Madueke delivered an improvised backheel pass, allowing Ben White to break free near the byline. The English defender crossed into the penalty area, where Mikel Merino met it with a diving header, sending the ball diagonally past goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher.

Merino continued to shine when moved to play as a central striker. The Spanish player scored nine Premier League goals in 2025, Arsenal's best tally. Six of these were headers, a record unmatched by any other player in the league during the same period.

Arsenal then squandered several opportunities and had to wait until second-half stoppage time to secure the winning goal. When moved back to midfield, Merino again made an impact with a through ball that sent Bukayo Saka clear. The English forward cut onto his left foot and fired a powerful shot from about 10 meters. Caoimhin Kelleher got a hand to the ball but could not save it for Brentford.

Bukayo Saka's winning goal. *Photo: Sportsphoto*

Arsenal could have won by a larger margin had they been more clinical with opportunities, including close-range shots from Madueke, Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, and Riccardo Calafiori. Conversely, Brentford mostly endured the pressure, creating only one dangerous moment: Kevin Schade's header hitting the crossbar in the 21st minute.

With the 2-0 victory, Arsenal maintained their unbeaten home record across all competitions this season, achieving 10 wins and one draw. The "Gunners" scored 29 goals, conceded three, and kept eight clean sheets.

Arteta's team also solidified their top position in the Premier League with 33 points, re-establishing a 5-point lead over Man City. The "Gunners" have only three days of rest before playing the earliest match of Premier League round 15 at 19h30 on 6/12, Hanoi time.

Hong Duy