Match Preview: Arsenal v Brentford | OneFootball

Brentford face Arsenal in the Premier League at Emirates Stadium on Saturday (5.30pm kick-off BST).

The west Londoners' five-game winning run away from home was ended by Newcastle United before a goalless draw against Chelsea at Gtech Community Stadium last time out. Mikel Arteta's side, meanwhile, defeated Real Madrid 3-0 in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg on Tuesday evening.

Analysis, team news, match officials and more. Here's everything you need to know before the Bees' latest test.

Pre-match analysis

Stephen Gillett, Playmaker Stats: The fascinating set-piece battle on Saturday

Brentford travel to the Emirates this Saturday with Arsenal in dreamland after an emphatic victory over Real Madrid in the quarter-finals of the Champions League on Tuesday.

On the back of what was a famous night in north London, the logical starting point for this preview has to be free-kicks!

Declan Rice's two sublime strikes against the reigning Champions League holders were, incredibly, the first free-kicks he has scored throughout his entire professional career - the first curled sumptuously around the wall; the second positively thumped into the postage stamp in the top corner of Thibaut Courtois's goal.

Furthermore, Arsenal haven't scored a single direct free-kick in the Premier League this season. In fact, only seven teams have: Brighton (2), Chelsea (2), Everton (2), Man Utd (2), Bournemouth, Tottenham and West Ham.

Mikel Merino's superb left-footed strike sealed the Gunners' 3-0 first-leg win over Los Blancos, and Arsenal now stand on the cusp of their first Champions League semi-final since 2008/09, when they were defeated over two legs by a Manchester United side destined to lose to Barcelona in the final.

Merino's gorgeous goal was fitting to win a game, but it was well and truly overshadowed by Rice's two ballistic free-kicks, and there is no doubt that the Gunners are an excellent dead-ball side - made even more dangerous given their England midfielder’s current form.

Arsenal were by far the most prolific dead-ball side in the top flight last season with 30 of their 91 Premier League goals stemming from set-pieces (20) or penalties (10) and they are right up there again this term.

The sight of a posse of red and white jerseys huddling at the back post is a familiar one, the currently-injured Gabriel a notable handful from corners this season - with all three of the Brazilian's league goals stemming from them.

This set-piece sub-plot promises to be a fascinating one this Saturday, especially as Brentford have the best record in the division defending them.

Thomas Frank's quest for marginal gains and 'layers' he can add to his team's armoury is apparent in the Bees' efficiency in dealing with opposing set-pieces, the west Londoners having only shipped two goals all season from free-kicks, corners or throw-ins. Further, no team has conceded fewer penalties in the top flight than Brentford (1) in 2024/25.

Two clear lessons Brentford can learn from glancing at Arsenal's corner stats this season is that a) the Gunners win a lot of them (202 this season ranking them third) and b) they absolutely love an in-swinger! In fact, 185 (92 per cent) of those corners have been bent towards their opponents' goal this term, the most in the top tier.

Arsenal and Brentford actually share many of the same strengths, and the last one we'll highlight concerns chance creation.

A focus on fashioning high-quality chances can make all the difference at 'elite' level, and - in addition to increasingly popular metrics such as expected goals and expected threat - a team’s average shooting distance can help evaluate the quality of their opportunities.

Last season, Brentford shot from an average distance of 15.6 yards, closer to goal than any other team in the division - and the Bees have improved (to 15.4 yards) on those numbers this season.

However, Arsenal (14.9 yards) have edged ahead of them this season in this statistic, and Arteta’s side currently shoot from closer to goal than any team in the Premier League (the Gunners' set-piece prowess no doubt a factor).

Saturday's late kick-off has all the ingredients to be a fantastic clash and, with their hosts' minds full of unfinished business in Madrid, Brentford will target a first away win against Arsenal since 1938.

Item one on the game plan: don't let Rice shoot from range!

Scout Report

Dan Long, Sky Sports: Arsenal may rest players for Bees clash

Arsenal were still in the Premier League title race at the turn of the year, even though they trailed Liverpool by six points after the New Year's Day win over Brentford at the Gtech.

"We can only win our next match and see what happens. It's not in our hands," said Mikel Arteta afterwards.

Losing Bukayo Saka to a hamstring injury on 21 December was just the Christmas present they didn't need. He had nine goals and 14 assists in just 24 games in all competitions and was absolutely flying before he was sidelined. They got by - but the injury concerns were not to end there.

Gabriel Jesus sustained an ACL injury in the FA Cup third-round defeat to Manchester United, just as he was starting to hit a purple patch, and Kai Havertz tore his hamstring during a warm weather trip to Dubai in February.

Both will miss the remainder of the season. Gabriel Martinelli was unavailable for most of February and the start of March, too.

The Gunners' attack has been decimated this season, but the slight upside has been that has facilitated the breakthrough of wonderkid Ethan Nwaneri, who has eight goals and two assists in 31 games so far this term. He is already playing for England's Under-21s, despite having just turned 18.

The decision not to sign a striker in January has come back to bite Arsenal, who now have midfielder Mikel Merino leading the line.

In fairness, he has scored six in his last 10 for the club, but it would not have been anyone's first choice for the Spain international to be playing there.

An out-and-out no.9 might have given them a chance of still being in the title race at this point in the season.

They have only won two of the last six Premier League games, with three draws and a defeat in the other four. They scored only twice in those games, despite generating 5.62 xG.

Hope of catching Liverpool has been all but abandoned now.

There are 21 points left to play for and Arsenal trail by 11 going into Saturday's game. It's not impossible - that's important to say - but it would take a minor miracle from here.

And so now the focus is on ensuring they secure second place for a third season in succession. It would match a record the club set at the end of 2000/01, albeit a relatively unattractive one. If nothing else, it highlights a level of consistency.

Arteta will just be hoping this is the last practice run before, as they have been threatening, they finally get their hands on the Premier League trophy after a wait of more than two decades.

And don’t forget the Champions League! The crucial quarter-final second leg against Real Madrid at the Bernabéu comes just four days after this game, so the success of this season could well hinge on that one night in the Spanish capital.

They might even be tempted to rest some players for the visit of Brentford to north London…

In the Dugout

Mikel Arteta

Mikel Arteta was a product of Barcelona’s famed La Masia youth set-up in the late 1990s and started his professional career at Barcelona B, for whom he played until 2002, with a loan spell at Paris Saint-Germain preceding his sale to Rangers.

In 2002/03 - the first of his two seasons at Ibrox - he lifted the Scottish Premier League and League Cup. After 68 appearances and 14 goals in all competitions, he returned to Spain in the summer of 2004 and signed for Real Sociedad. However, his time at Anoeta was over in a flash; he started three league games during the first half of the season, before joining Everton on loan.

He was an instant hit at Goodison Park and signed a five-year deal in 2005. He ended up staying for seven seasons and more than 200 appearances. Such was his talent that there was even speculation he could play for England under Fabio Capello, having not received a Spain call-up, though it ultimately did not materialise.

In August 2011, Arteta signed for Arsenal and, three years later, was appointed club captain by Arsène Wenger. He appeared 150 times for the Gunners, winning the FA Cup and Community Shield on two occasions each. He retired in 2016 at the age of 34 and soon became part of Pep Guardiola’s coaching team at Manchester City.

In 2018, he was linked with a return to Emirates Stadium after Wenger’s exit. Though fellow Spaniard Unai Emery took on the role of manager at that time, Arteta replaced him in December 2019. He led them to a second FA Cup win in four years but could not prevent an eighth-place finish - the lowest since 1994/95.

The 42-year-old surpassed 250 games in charge of the Gunners in late 2024; a milestone only nine managers in the club’s history have reached. Under his stewardship, Arsenal have so far lifted the FA Cup once and the Community Shield twice.

The Gameplan

With Kaya Kaynak, Tifo Football

Tifo Football's Kaya Kaynak explains how Mikel Arteta is likely to set up his side to face the Bees.

"It will be just the classic 4-3-3 formation," said Kaynak.

"Arsenal have played it under Mikel Arteta for years now and I do not think they are going to change it.

"As I mentioned, Mikel Merino makes things a little bit different in the sense that, I know I said he is a traditional no.9, but he does drop into spaces and vacates it and creates space for the wingers to run into, which is quite interesting.

"And with Bukayo Saka back, there will be quite a heavy focus on that right-hand side where Arsenal try to attack and again, set-pieces are always a big thing for Arsenal, as we saw at the Gtech last time around."

Last starting XI v Real Madrid in the Champions League (4-3-3): Raya; Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly; Ødegaard, Partey, Rice; Saka, Merino, Martinelli

Read the full interview with Kaya Kaynak here

Team News

Frank provides update on Brentford trio

Brentford head coach Thomas Frank provided an update on Aaron Hickey, Gustavo Nunes and Igor Thiago ahead of the Bees’ Premier League game against Arsenal on Saturday.

Hickey and Nunes featured in Brentford Under-21s’ 2-0 victory over Fleetwood Town last month, while Thiago has been sidelined since December.

“There is no new injury news,” Frank revealed.

“Everyone who was available for Chelsea is available again, so that’s positive.

“The three guys who are getting closer - Hickey, Thiago and Gustavo – are progressing and going in the right direction.

“Gustavo is the closest of the three. Let’s see.”

Rico Henry and Mathias Jensen returned to the squad for the goalless draw with Chelsea.

Josh Dasilva is out with a knee injury, while Fábio Carvalho (shoulder) is unlikely to feature again this season.

Match Officials

Hooper to referee Bees again

Referee: Simon Hooper

Assistants: Adrian Holmes and Simon Long

Fourth official: Will Finnie

VAR: James Bell

Simon Hooper will be the man in the middle at Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

The Wiltshire-born referee has already taken charge of three Brentford games this term, all of which have come at Gtech Community Stadium.

He had the whistle for the home meetings against West Ham (1-1), Newcastle (4-2) and, most recently, Everton (1-1).

Saturday will also be his fourth Arsenal fixture this season, having previously officiated the Gunners' home wins against Nottingham Forest and Tottenham, as well as their 5-1 victory at Crystal Palace just prior to Christmas.

Memorable Meeting

Arsenal 1 Brentford 1 (Premier League, 11 February 2023)

Brentford came from behind to pick up a 1-1 draw at Arsenal and extend their unbeaten Premier League run to 10 games.

Leandro Trossard passed into the back of the net from Bukayo Saka's teasing low cross to put the hosts in front on 66 minutes.

Ivan Toney, who had earlier hit the crossbar and sent a shot just wide of the mark, headed in the equaliser eight minutes later as the Bees picked up a deserved point at Emirates Stadium.