Arsenal vs Brentford - Preview, prediction, team news and lineups

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·11 April 2025

Arsenal vs Brentford - Preview, prediction, team news and lineups

Brentford have won only one of their last 12 meetings with Arsenal, the Bees' most-recent victory over the Gunners in North London coming almost exactly 87 years ago to the day.

Arsenal vs Brentford Preview

Since moving into Emirates Stadium in 2006, Arsenal have played 515 matches at their modern-day home, but the stadia has never previously witnessed a night quite like Tuesday. With their Premier League title charge all but mathematically over, underlined by the lack of intensity on display during last weekend's 1-1 draw with Everton, the Gunners are all-in on the Champions League.

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Well, this appeared a long-shot, considering they were paired with holders and record 15-times winners Real Madrid. Nevertheless, Mikel Arteta's team dominated los Blancos throughout and, after a nervy first half, the roof was lifted off by the euphoria of a 17 minute scoring spree. Declan Rice, extraordinarily, scored not one but two inch-perfect free-kicks, before Mikel Merino, the makeshift, reluctant centre-forward, curled home an astonishing third. Those lucky enough to witness such an historic win were jubilant and in disbelief in equal measure; a result that no one could've forecast.

So, Arsenal will take a three-goal advantage to the Bernabéu next Wednesday, seeking to avoid a vintage Real remontada and reach the semi-finals, but they do have a Premier League fixture to fulfill beforehand. Arteta's team still sit second, five points clear of Nottingham Forest, so will want to pick up three points here.

Meanwhile, with their hosts distracted by other commitments, Brentford may just fancy their chances of an upset. The Bees were held to a goalless draw by West London rivals Chelsea last Sunday, unfortunate not to collect all three points in truth. Since being beaten by Arsenal in New Year's Day, Thomas Frank's team have won five of 12 league fixtures, enjoying a sequence of five successive away wins, a new club-record in the top division, prior to defeat at Newcastle ten days ago.

This all leaves the Bees 12th, six points adrift the final European position, and with a tough run of fixtures coming up, taking on Brighton, Nottingham Forest and then Man United next. Nevertheless, considering Brentford's exceptional recent form on the road, they are capable of getting a result here.

Arsenal vs Brentford Head-to-Head Record

Matches Played: 21.

Arsenal Wins: 10. Draws: 5. Brentford Wins: 6.

Arsenal Team News

Ask any Arsenal fan and they'll tell you Mikel Arteta should rest everybody, with the mid-week trip to Madrid in mind. Jurriën Timber, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka were all taken off on Tuesday, the latter still rebuilding his match sharpness of course, so none of this trio are likely to start this one.

Meantime, Arteta did leave Thomas Partey, Martin Ødegaard and Gabriel Martinelli on the bench at Goodison last weekend, from the start anyway, thereby showing a willingness to rotate which he hasn't done so previously.

Thus, as was the case on Merseyside, Benjamin White, Jorginho, Ethan Nwaneri and Raheem Sterling are all likely to start, while Kieran Tierney, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Leandro Trossard could come in too. Gabriel, Riccardo Calafiori, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus remain sidelined.

Arsenal predicted lineup vs Brentford: (4-2-3-1): Raya; White, Saliba, Kiwior, Tierney; Jorginho, Merino, Zinchenko; Nwaneri, Sterling, Trossard.

Arsenal Player to Watch vs Brentford

Leandro Trossard was almost certainly disappointed not to start on Tuesday, especially after scoring at Everton, so can he add to his seven goals this season, having netted when Brentford visited North London two seasons ago?

Brentford Team News

Thomas Frank's team make the short ten mile journey from Chiswick to Islington without Aaron Hickey, Josh Dasilva, Fábio Carvalho, Gustavo Nunes or Igor Thiago. In better news, Rico Henry was an unused substitute against Chelsea, having seen just three minutes of Premier League action since September 2023 due to a knee and then hamstring injury.

In terms of who is likely to start, Yegor Yarmolyuk has, somewhat surprisingly, been in the starting lineup for the last two matches. However, Vitaly Janelt could return here, or perhaps Mathias Jensen will do so, coming off the bench last Sunday after missing four of the previous five matches.

Lastly, in defence, after Ethan Pinnock endured a rough night at Newcastle, Sepp van den Berg was deployed alongside Nathan Collins, so will Frank go for that duo again?

Brentford predicted lineup vs Arsenal: (4-3-3): Flekken; Ajer, Collins, van den Berg, Lewis-Potter; Nørgaard, Janelt, Damsgaard; Mbeumo, Wissa, Schade.

Brentford Player to Watch vs Arsenal

Yoane Wissa has 15 goals to his name this season, while he was on target at Arsenal a year ago, his only goal against the Gunners in seven attempts to date.

Arsenal vs Brentford Prediction

We are forecasting a draw from this Saturday evening fixture, with Brentford strong enough to earn a share of the spoils against an otherwise engaged Arsenal side: Arsenal 1-1 Brentford.