I have just looked and he was born in 2007…
It would be amazing. That is the aim – to do what we can to try and win the game. We are facing a very good Arsenal team. In a way, they have gone a little under the radar.
There has been much talk about Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool because they are doing fantastic and Chelsea as they have done more than people expected, but I think Arsenal have performed consistently well. A well-run machine and team.
Brentford take the lead against the run of play and it’s all down to a superb bit of play from Mbeumo.
i hope they tuirn it down… my ear drums are rattling.
Brentford love playing at home, don’t they?
Yegor Yarmoliuk and Sepp van den Berg both come in, with the latter replacing the injured Ben Mee.
My word, Brentford are rapid on the counter.
Thomas Frank has made just two changes to the side that started on the south coast.
17:22
Gunners in fine voice
By Harry Bamforth
How are the heads this morning… sore?
Brentford are really trying to hype this game up, my word.
16:16
Brentford Team News – Flekken STARTS
By Harry Bamforth
It’s fair to say, Arsenal are quite fond of Brentford’s backyard.
Peter Bankes has been a really busy boy so far tonight.
Mikel Arteta, Arsenal manager, speaking pre-match:
Thomas Frank’s side seemed to lose their mojo, only picking up one point in three games either side of Christmas.
18:05, 34′
Brentford 1-1 Arsenal
By Harry Bamforth
A terrible effort.
They normally end up winning too.
Chris Sutton, It’s All Kicking Off! co-host, on BBC Sport:
16:31
Lewis-Skelly braves the cold
By Harry Bamforth
Well, well well… this is some big news.
They don’t hand out prizes in January. From the end of January onwards, they were quite remarkable. It has been a tricky start to this season with ill-discipline, injuries, Odegaard was a big one and now Saka. It has been a nightmare behind the scenes.
Arteta is trying to make the best of it and there is still time to recover. It has been a difficult journey for Arsenal this season. They haven’t had that consistency.
They need to be more creative. Their stats from last season are almost the same as this season, just for points less, same goals conceded, a goal less scored. They’re on course but they’ve got to be better than they are to be champions. That’s the task ahead.
17:04
Party atmosphere
By Harry Bamforth
Brentford manage to clear it without too much trouble before the ball ends up with Martin Odegaard.
We start 2025 with a London derby at the Gtech Community Stadium as Brentford take on title-chasing Arsenal.
17:43, 13′
Goal:Brentford 1-0 Arsenal (Mbeumo 13′)
By Harry Bamforth
The ball was bouncing toward the line and the ground thought it was in as Raya got his hand to it a second time.
Stay with us, I have a feeling it’s going to be a belter.
Letting down the Scots there, Kieran…
Riccardo Calafiori, Mikel Mwerino, and Thomas Partey all come in to the side.
This place is absoutely rockinfg, the Brentford fans are well up for this.
Is Jude Bellingham sighing for Brentford or something?
All a bit baffling.
Sadly for them, he didn’t turn around…
Arsenal are really starting to take control of this game now.
16:33
Home is where the heart is
By Harry Bamforth
Bryan Mbeumo goes down and a free-kick isn’t given before Thomas Partey wins one second.
Arsenal are putting on the pressure early doors here.
Thomas Frank was right, they have gone under the radar.
Luckily, there is some cover for the computer.
He loves a London Derby too…
I mean, they have only conceded one goal in their last three league games, so I think there is a good chance they can keep Brentford out here.
I mean, when I saw Myles Lewis-Skelly take to the pitch in just a t-shirt, I couldn’t believe my eyes.
The biggest surprise though is that Kieran Tierney is wearing a coat, joggers, and gloves.
I mean, playing one of the best teams in England, in Arsenal, is not exactly ideal, but they won’t be scared.
16:04
Can Gunners cut the gap?
By Harry Bamforth
Thomas Frank’s side will certainly be looking to put that behind them with a win today. I mean they usually do that.
Arsenal look frustrated here.
When I think of Brentford, there is one player that pops into my head before anybody else.
Can they start the new year in the same way they ended the last?
Yoane Wissa looks like he is fouled just outside the area but the referee waves his claims away.
2024 was a pretty good year for the Gunners, it has to be said.
Yep, that’s how big this game is.
What were you all doing at 17 years old?
Brentford have just come out to warm up and it appears a lot of them are really feeling the cold.
Martin Keown, former Arsenal defender, on TNT Sports:
This game really hasn’t got any flow just because of how many fouls Arsenal seem to be making.
17:30, 1′
KICK-OFF: Brentford 0-0 Arsenal
By Harry Bamforth
16:41
‘Worried about Arsenal without Saka’
By Harry Bamforth
18:00, 29′
Goal:Brentford 1-1 Arsenal (Jesus 29′)
By Harry Bamforth
16:46
Magical Mbeumo
By Harry Bamforth
Arsenal are going through some shooting drills and Jesus just can’t stop scoring.
The Dane picks up a deserved yellow for the challenge.
There is a huge roar of disapproval before Bankes then manages to get in the way of the ball when play restarts.
They are coming into form at a very good time.
17:00
Partey: ‘We want to win everything’
By Harry Bamforth
Then up the other end David Raya nearly makes a huge boob with a Keane Lewis Potter shot but just about gets back to clear the ball off the line.
17:54, 22′
Brentford 1-0 Arsenal
By Harry Bamforth
Get yourselves strapped in everyone, it’s going to be a cracker.
16:16
Arsenal Team News – Nwaneri STARTS
By Harry Bamforth
He has just arrowed a strike into the bottom corner with some panache.
Instead, it’s a yellow.
17:28
Here come the teams!
By Harry Bamforth
It’s been all Arsenal but all of a sudden the Bees are off on the break at a frightening speed.
17:46, 15′
Brentford 1-0 Arsenal
By Harry Bamforth
The Brentford fans are already on top of Peter Bankes, they are not happy.
17:35, 4′
Brentford 0-0 Arsenal
By Harry Bamforth
It’s a new year now though and the Bees will be desperate to start picking up some wins again.
I’m sure most of you are still recovering from New Year’s Eve on your sofas, I mean, the first day of the year is normally a fairly chill one.
16:57
Snood central
By Harry Bamforth
The two teams arise from the tunnel before the tannoy starts playing ‘Hey, Jude’.
Meanwhile, Ethan Nwaneri is making his first Premier League start at a club the size of Arsenal.
The Arsenal fans are trying to get the chants in early, they are in fine voice here.
16:38
A wet start
By Harry Bamforth
16:50
‘Big opportunity for Nwaneri’
By Isaan Khan At Gtech Community Stadium
The festive period was not exactly kind to Brentford.
I thought the party was meant to stop last night?
That is pure brilliance from Bryan Mbeumo!
There was no need for Brentford fans to worry then…
17:48, 16′
YELLOW CARD: Brentford 1-0 Arsenal
By Harry Bamforth
While they lost their first match here back in 2021, since then they have loved playing at the Gtech.
17:26
Nearly time for the green light
By Harry Bamforth
Ethan Nwaneri gets the Gunners on the counter after a lovely little dribble down the left.
They have Brentford penned back in their own box and have quietened the majority of the Gtech.
17:41, 11′
Brentford 0-0 Arsenal
By Harry Bamforth
I then heard shouts of his name from above me in the hospitality section from a bunch of young Arsenal fans.
The Arsenal captain then nearly belts the ball out of the stadium and onto M4 behind the stand.
If I was Arsenal, I would be very wary of him.
Thomas Partey may have made a muck of his effort a moment ago but his strike this time is what sets up the equaliser.
Follow Mail Sport’s live blog for the latest score, team news and updates as Arsenal travel to the Gtech Community Stadium to face Brentford in Premier League action. 18:08, 38′
Brentford 1-1 Arsenal
By Harry Bamforth
18:03, 31′
Brentford 1-1 Arsenal
By Harry Bamforth
Partey is in but gets his effort all wrong and the ball eventually goes out for a corner.
It has been raining throughout that time too, my desk was pretty wet when I cam to sit down.
It’s all happening.
He still has a lot of work to do and cuts inside before narrowing the ball in at the near post.
The screens in the press box and elsewhere suddenly showed there was a VAR check for a possible handball.
However, you don’t win the Premier League title for that, do you?
I can’t lie, I didn’t realise just how good a run Arsenal have been on recently, when I read the statistic it took me by surprise.
This stadium goes absolutely mental.
They won the most points in the Premier League during the calendar year, which just shows how strong they have been.
If they win today though, that will be four victories on the bounce for the Gunners.
But we will have to wait and see, won’t we?
17:17
Happy hunting ground
By Harry Bamforth
I think we should expect a lively performance from the hosts, I just have that feeling that they will bring their A-game.
We have to continue to be like a hammer, be there every day, every day, every day. If someone wins all the matches, congratulate them and let’s go to the next season but, if they don’t, which, in history, hasn’t happened, we’ll be there.
Very tough. They’re Brentford a really, really good team. When you see their record at home until last week, it’s remarkable.
They’ve evolved and adapted as well. The qualities in their team are because of the players they have right now, so I’m very impressed.
They last won four consecutive away games against an opponent while keeping a clean sheet each time against Sunderland between 2003 and 2008.
I can’t lie, it’s hard to see what he is doing.
