ARSENAL have returned to the top of the Premier League after grinding out a 1-0 win at Brentford.
Kai Havertz scored the only goal of the game with an 89th-minute header in dramatic scenes.
The Gunners had an earlier header from Leandro Trossard ruled offside after a lengthy VAR check.
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- By Jon Boon
Kayode boost
Arsenal have received a boost in their pursuit of Michael Kayode.
The Fiorentina is being trailed by the Gunners, Man Utd, and Man City.
Kayode's former manager, Antonio Soda has said he should pick Mikel Arteta's side as his next club.
“I played him when he was 16, I could see something important in him. I chose him when he was a child, but then he also grew physically,”he said during an appearance on TV Play (via Viola News and Sport Witness).
“A good young man repays the trust you give him when you play him.”
- By Jon Boon
Mean defence
Arsenal's mean defence was on full show against Brentford.
The Gunners kept another clean sheet, clearing two Bees efforts off the line to win 1-0.
And they are streets ahead of their rivals when it comes to shutting out the opposition.
Since the start of last season, they have kept the most in the premier League.
- By Jon Boon
Wonderkid's new contract
Arsenal have reportedly agreed terms on a new contract for youth sensation Chido Obi-Martin.
The prospect went viral recently for bagging 10 goals in a single game against Liverpool.
Obi-Martin, 15, stole the show for the Arsenal U-16s as he helped himself to goals in the 14-3 win over the Reds.
The Standard have claimed that he has already agreed to a scholarship deal with Arsenal.
The report has suggested that this has been the case since last year.
It goes on to say that he will be one of the Gunners' scholars for the 2024/25 season.
Obi-Martin will be able to sign a professional contract on his 17th birthday which is November next year.
- By Jon Boon
Ramsdale support
Arsenal stars were praised after they all embraced Aaron Ramsdale following the final whistle against Brentford.
Ramsdale got a rare start in Mikel Arteta's line-up and kept a clean sheet as the Gunners defeated the Bees 1-0 at the Gtech Community Stadium thanks to Kai Havertz's late winner.
The England international has been undergoing a difficult campaign as he lost his No1 spot to David Raya, who arrived on loan from Brentford in the summer.
However, Raya couldn't play against his parent club and so Ramsdale returned between the sticks.
The 25-year-old had some shaky moments in the early stages of the game, but grew in confidence and snuffed out some late danger.
After the final whistle, Arteta and every Arsenal star approached Ramsdale and embraced him in a brilliant show of team unity as he strives for more minutes ahead of Euro 2024.
- By Jon Boon
Arteta deflects Ramsdale talk
Aaron Ramsdale had a first half to forget for Arsenal against Brentford.
The shotstopper's mistake nearly gifted the Gunners' opponents the opener – only for Declan Rice to save his blushes by clearing the ball off the line.
After the game, Arteta said on his keeper's first half: "This is football. I’m so happy with the team. The way the team performed with the clean sheet. We move on."
- By Jon Boon
Havertz on his goal
Today I got it [the goal] and it paid back, I am just happy I got it for the team.
"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."
On the fans: "I am so thankful for these guys. It is hard when a new signing comes and they pay a lot of money for you. I am just thankful they keep supporting me."
- By Jon Boon
Arteta's record
Mikel Arteta managed the club for the 200th time against Brentford.
And the 1-0 win meant he recorded 116 victories for the club during that time.
Incredibly, that's better than Arsene Wenger managed in his first 200 games, with the Frenchman getting 111 wins.
George Graham is in third with 106.
- By Sam Dymond
Gunners fired to the top
It wasn't pretty, it wasn't convincing, but Arsenal managed to get the job done at the last and their reward could not be greater.
The 1-0 win means the Gunners will finish the day top of the Premier League table for the first time this season – and all because of a bizarre quirk of fate.
With the top two going into the weekend – Manchester City and Liverpool – drawing 1-1 this lunchtime, it is just the second time in Premier League history that the top two have met with neither managing to end the day at the summit.
The previous occurrence came in November 2015 when a 1-1 draw between Leicester and Manchester United allowed City to take over in first place.
- By Sam Dymond
Yippee Kai-Yay for Havertz
Kai Havertz came off the bench to score a last-minute winner with what is just his second goal for Arsenal since his £65 million move from Chelsea.
It was also the German's second Premier League goal as a substitute, and both have proved to be match-winning efforts; the previous scored for his former club against West Ham in September 2022.
It feels amazing. I've been working hard for these moments and today I got it paid back. I'm just happy to help the team. Football is always hard work. It's been tough for me the last couple of months, but I've tried to put my ego aside because the team is the most important thing.
Kai HavertzTNT Sports
- By Sam Dymond
Match stats from the Gtech
Bukayo Saka created five chances this evening, at least three more than any other player on the pitch.
And the final one of those opportunities was converted by Kai Havertz to hand Saka his fifth assist of the season.
High fives all round.
- By Sam Dymond
Full time – Brentford 0-1 Arsenal
Arsenal ARE top of the league.
A late, late goal from super sub Kai Havertz has earned the Gunners the three points that takes them above Liverpool and Manchester City, and to the summit of English football.
It was far from a vintage Arsenal display, but Mikel Arteta's men stayed committed to the cause until the very end, and were rewarded with Havertz's second goal for the club.
Brentford will feel hard done by, having seen a goalbound effort cleared off the line in each half, but should again be pleased by a battling performance against the big boys with so many absentees.
- By Sam Dymond
Brentford 0-1 Arsenal
90+3. Aaron Ramsdale comes off his line to claim a cross, and is mobbed by his teammates as if he had saved a last-second penalty.
"We are top of the league!" chant the Arsenal fans.
Nearly. Very nearly.
- By Sam Dymond
Brentford 0-1 Arsenal
90+1. Brentford restart the action after making two further substitutions.
Thomas Frank throws caution to the wind for the four minutes of stoppage time by introducing Zanka and Keane Lewis-Potter for Saman Ghoddos and Frank Onyeka.
- By Sam Dymond
Brentford 0-1 Arsenal
89. Welcome to Arsenal, Kai Havertz!
With one minute remaining at the Gtech, the £65 million man pops up with the goal that could invigorate his Gunners career.
For the first time in the second half, Bukayo Saka made half a yard for himself on the right, and the curled over a beautiful cross towards the far post.
It still needed anticipation, bravery and precision to convert, and Havertz produced all of the above and more to nod low through Mark Flekken and into the net from a tight angle.
Arsenal are heading to the top of the Premier League and it's all thanks to Kai Havertz!
- By Sam Dymond
Havertz the hero!
- By Sam Dymond
Brentford 0-0 Arsenal
87. The game is drawing to a close, and it's being played almost completely in the Brentford half.
Can Arsenal find a winner?
- By Sam Dymond
Brentford 0-0 Arsenal
85. Was that the chance?
The ball ricochets kindly for Arsenal, and leaves them with a three-on-two break.
Nketiah takes charge as he approaches the penalty area, but then opts against passing right to the unmarked Saka and instead places a low weak effort at Flekken.
- By Sam Dymond
Brentford 0-0 Arsenal
83. Saliba executes an awkward-looking volley from 25 yards that swipes wide of Flekken's left-hand post.
The French defender looks frustrated as he trots back into position, but it would have taken something incredible to find the net from there.
- By Sam Dymond
Brentford 0-0 Arsenal
81. Inside the final ten minutes, and it remains finely poised and goalless.
One moment of magic will win it now.
One horrific blunder will lose it.
- By Sam Dymond
Brentford 0-0 Arsenal
79. Declan Rice decides its time for him to step up and save the day – again.
The former West Ham man takes charge 25 yards from goal, and strikes hard and low with a shot that deflects into the advertising hoardings.
- By Sam Dymond
Brentford 0-0 Arsenal – Arsenal substitution
78. Kai Havertz continues his record of being the only Arsenal player to feature in every game this season as he replaces Gabriel Martinelli.
This would be the perfect time to kickstart his career with the Gunners.
- By Sam Dymond
Brentford 0-0 Arsenal
77. It feels like Brentford are winning every 50-50 ball at the moment, all of which are bouncing kindly for the Bees.
- By Sam Dymond
Brentford 0-0 Arsenal
76. Zinchenko saves Arsenal!
The Ukrainian follows Declan Rice's lead from the first half in throwing himself across his own goal-line to clear at the last.
This time it keeps out a stooping Maupay header that followed smart work on the right byline from Mbeumo.
- By Sam Dymond
Brentford 0-0 Arsenal
74. I'll be honest, this has been so poor that I'd prefer to be watching Strictly.
- By Sam Dymond
Brentford 0-0 Arsenal – Brentford double substitution
72. Two changes for the home side sees Thomas Frank throw on Shandon Baptiste a previous Arsenal hate-figure in Neal Maupay.
The pair are on for Yehor Yarmoliuk and Yoane Wissa.
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