Brentford 0-1 Arsenal: Kai Havertz sends Gunners top of the Premier League after late win
Arsenal will finish the latest round of Premier League fixtures sitting top after running out 1-0 winners at Brentford.
Mikel Arteta’s men capitalised on defending champions Manchester City dropping points, following their 1-1 draw with Liverpool, earlier in the day.
Securing all three points seemed remote, even after Leandro Trossard had a first-half goal disallowed, until the 89th minute when substitute Kai Havertz nodded home Bukayo Saka’s cross. It was his second and most important Arsenal goal to date.
The much-maligned forward, now playing left-back for Germany, was on the pitch for ten minutes and will be hoping this moment kick-starts his Gunners career.
“Today I got it [the goal] and it paid back, I am just happy I got it for the team,” he told TNT Sports.
“It was a brilliant goal and brilliant pass as well. I think we train this way as a team a lot, Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard love to play those balls.
“It is hard work, nothing comes from itself and you have to work and have to believe. I tried to put my ego aside and the team is the important thing.”
Those full-time scenes 🙌 pic.twitter.com/oj9sUmPLMf
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) November 25, 2023
Saka being the provider could have been expected. Since the start of last season, he’s been involved in more goals in Premier League London derbies than any other player (14 – five goals and nine assists).
Arteta, though, would be proud of his side’s resiliency. Arsenal have now gone on to win four of their last five Premier League road games which were 0-0 at half-time, with the only exception being a controversial loss at Newcastle (0-1) – each of those aforementioned successes have finished 1-0 at full-time.
