Brentford v Arsenal – Preview, Predictions, and Best Bets

Brentford hosts Arsenal at the Brentford Community Stadium at noon on Sunday. The Gunners sit top of the Premier League and will want to avoid losing this fixture for the second year in a row having had plenty of preparation time since last playing. The Bees have been outstanding at home of late and have been beaten just once this term.

Brentford Form

The Bees ended last season in sensational form, winning seven of their final 11 matches to easily secure survival. This season has began really well with just one loss in six league matches as they are placed eighth in the table. On an opening day, they fought back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at Leicester. A resounding 4-0 thrashing of Man Utd at home came next.

The side looked a bit overconfident a week later in losing 3-2 to Fulham in the final minute having come from 2-0 down to 2-2. Successive 1-1 draws followed, at home to Everton and away to Crystal Palace, as both times they fought an equaliser in the final six minutes. In their last match, they thrashed Leeds 5-2 at home with Ivan Toney netting a hattrick. Two goals in the final 10 minutes put gloss on the scoreline.

Brentford Team News

Coach Thomas Frank is without Christian Norgaard in central midfield, Sergi Canos down the right flank, and Ethan Pinnock in central defence. The big call is whether to go 4-3-3 with Yoane Wissa and Brian Mbuemo either side of Toney, or use a 3-5-2 with just two forwards.

Summer signing from Hull City, Keane Lewis-Potter has started the last two matches as a left winger and is an alternative to Wissa in the attack. The rest of the side should pick themselves really with Mikkel Damsgaard on the bench once again.

Brentford Motivation

The Bees are a well-coached and adaptable side. They can use different formations but also different approaches, pressing high or playing route one football when the situation dictates.

They netted five goals from just 31% possession against Leeds and did similar to Man Utd. Transitions are likely to be their focus against Arsenal using the pace of Mbuemo. They will play to win this match but won’t have the benefit of a night fixture in-front of their vocal fans. This match is at noon and the weather may make a high octane approach more difficult.

Arsenal Form

The Gunners sit top of the table after six matches having won five of those. They’ve had a favourable start in terms of fixture difficulty and the recent postponements have allowed their squad not to be stretched by Europa League football just yet. In their first three fixtures, they had good winning margins as they won 2-0 at Crystal Palace, 4-2 against Leicester, and 3-0 at Bournemouth.

Tight 2-1 home wins against Fulham and Aston Villa followed as late winners were required. Arsenal then went to Man Utd and lost 3-1 despite having plenty of the ball. Their most recent fixture was nine days ago as they won 2-1 at FC Zurich in the Europa League.

Arsenal Team News

Mikel Arteta has a few injuries for this match. Squad players like Cedric Soares, Mohamed Elneny and Emile Smith Rowe are either major doubts or miss out. The bigger concerns are to starting XI players in Oleksandr Zinchenko and Thomas Partey. The latter has returned to training and could be risked from the start, such is his importance to the team.

Kieran Tierney will play at left back if Zinchenko isn’t fit and Albert Lokonga in central midfield if Partey isn’t back to start. The rest of the XI picks itself.

Arsenal Motivation

The Gunners are fresh having had their Thursday match called off. They will go all out to take the three points from this match.

Arteta’s side looks certain to have 60% possession or more and will want to score early and avoid having to open up and leave themselves vulnerable to counters. In the relative midday heat, expect plenty of game management and patient keep-ball from Gunners.

Key Stats

Brentford have lost 1 of their last 8 home PL matches (W5, D2)

Brentford have kept 5 clean sheets in their last 8 home matches (PL)

Arsenal have won 5 of their 6 PL matches this season

Arsenal have conceded in each of their last 4 matches (all comps)

Arsenal’s last 3 wins have been by 1-goal margins

Arsenal have lost 5 of their last 9 away PL matches

Verdict

The Bees are outstanding at home and Arsenal’s recent away Premier League record isn’t great. However, a fresh and well-oiled Gunners side with Partey back and playing in a slower 12 pm kickoff should have enough to take the win.

Best Bet: Arsenal win at 1.80
Value Bet: Arsenal win to nil at 3.40
Multiple Leg: Draw/Arsenal double chance + under 3.5 goals at 1.90

James O'Connor

James is a football analyst who writes about the tactics of the PSL and English Premier League. He holds the UEFA A coaching licence and has previously worked for several clubs in analysis roles.Twitter: https://twitter.com/footy_analysis