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Arsenal kicked off 2025 with a thrilling 3-1 comeback victory over Brentford on Wednesday evening, showcasing their resilience and title charge credentials. Gabriel Jesus continued his impressive form, scoring the equalizer, while Mikel Merino and Gabriel Martinelli sealed the win with quick-fire goals in the second half.
The match began with Arsenal dominating possession, but Brentford looked dangerous on the counter-attack. David Raya was forced to claim a threatening cross after Yoane Wissa freed Keane Lewis-Potter, while at the other end, Ethan Nwaneri impressed with a darting run that won a corner. The youngster’s deep delivery created an overload at the back post, but no one was on hand to convert when the ball was nodded back across goal.
However, it was Brentford who took the lead in the 13th minute when Martin Ødegaard carelessly gave away possession in midfield. Mikkel Damsgaard seized the loose ball and fed Bryan Mbeumo, who shifted onto his left foot and struck early, beating Raya at his near post. The goal was a wake-up call for Arsenal, who struggled to regain control.
The goal spurred Brentford on, and Arsenal’s frustration grew. Timber picked up a yellow card for a late tackle, ruling him out of Saturday’s trip to Brighton, and Raya had to scramble back to prevent a tame Lewis-Potter shot from sneaking over the line. A scrappy spell ended with Arsenal’s equalizer in the 35th minute.
After a chaotic scramble at the edge of the Brentford box, Thomas Partey unleashed a shot that Mark Flekken could only parry. Gabriel Jesus reacted quickest to nod in the rebound, restoring parity and lifting Arsenal’s spirits.
The second half saw Arsenal seize control, with Merino scoring in the 48th minute and Martinelli adding a third just three minutes later. Both goals resulted from dangerous deliveries by Nwaneri, who impressed on his first Premier League start. Nwaneri’s corner caused chaos in the Brentford box, forcing Flekken into a flailing punch. Jesus’ rebound effort was blocked, but Merino reacted quickly to fire into the empty net.
The Gunners kept the pressure on, and it paid off three minutes later. Another dangerous delivery from Nwaneri forced the home defense into action, with Collins heading the ball clear. Martinelli pounced on the loose ball, controlling it expertly before firing home. VAR briefly reviewed a potential shove on the defender in the build-up, but the goal stood.
Arsenal came close to extending their lead on the hour mark with a swift counterattack. Raya’s long clearance found Martinelli, who waited for Jesus to burst into the box before laying the ball into his path. The Brazilian’s first-time effort, however, narrowly missed the target.
Moments later, another quick transition saw Raya launch a huge throw to Martinelli, but Flekken was quick off his line to intercept before the winger could capitalize.
Arsenal’s momentum was maintained despite a few half-chances for Brentford, with the home side struggling to create meaningful opportunities. As the match wore on, Thomas Frank made a quadruple substitution in an attempt to inject fresh energy into his side.
Mikel Arteta responded with three changes of his own, introducing Myles Lewis-Skelly, Leandro Trossard, and Declan Rice in place of Riccardo Calafiori, Nwaneri, and Merino. The changes had the desired effect, effectively taking the sting out of the game as Arsenal saw out the remaining minutes with relative ease.
The final 15 minutes passed with little incident, as Brentford’s attacking impetus waned and Arsenal’s defense, marshaled by William Saliba and Gabriel, remained solid.
The result lifts Arsenal back to second in the table, reducing the gap to league leaders Liverpool to six points. With this momentum-building win, Mikel Arteta’s side will look to continue their push for the title when they face Brighton next.
