We don’t have to wait long for our first taste of Premier League action in 2025 as Arsenal travel to Brentford on New Year’s Day.
The Gunners extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to 11 games on Friday night beating Ipswich Town 1-0 in North London. The Premier League title contenders are unlikely to dazzle while Bukayo Saka recovers from hamstring surgery, so efficiency will be the name of the game in their bid to keep pace with league leaders the Liverpool.
The Reds extended their lead over Arsenal at the top to nine points with a 5-0 win at West Ham on Sunday.
Liverpool’s brilliance means the Gunners’ margin for error is slim, and they travel to one of the division’s best-performing home sides on Wednesday. Brentford, however, are currently decimated by injuries and are without a win in four games.
The west Londoners were beaten at Gtech for the first time this season in their previous outing at home to Nottingham Forest before Christmas and currently sit 12th in the table.
here it is 90 minutes guide to Brentford vs arsenal on New Year’s Day.
Head-to-head results Brentford vs Arsenal (last five games)
Current form (all competitions)
|
Brentford |
arsenal |
|---|---|
|
Brighton 0-0 Brentford – 27/12/24 |
Arsenal 1-0 Ipswich – 27/12/24 |
|
Brentford 0-2 Nottingham Forest – 21/12/24 |
Crystal Palace 1-5 Arsenal – 21/12/24 |
|
Newcastle 3-1 Brentford – 18/12/24 |
Arsenal 3-2 Crystal Palace – 18/12/24 |
|
Chelsea 2-1 Brentford – 15/12/24 |
Arsenal 0-0 Everton – 14/12/24 |
|
Brentford 4-2 Newcastle – 07/12/24 |
Arsenal 3-0 Monaco – 12/11/24 |
|
country |
TV channel/live broadcast |
|---|---|
|
united kingdom |
TNT Sports Ultimate, TNT Sports 1, discovery+ app, discovery+ |
|
united states |
fuboTV, nbcsports.com, NBC Sports App, USA Network, UNIVERSO |
|
canada |
fuboTV Canada, Fubo Sports Network Canada |
Brentford’s injury problems are apparently only getting worse. Crucially, Thomas Frank has Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa available on New Year’s Day, but the Bees are particularly stuck in defence.
They lost Mark Flekken and Ben Mee to injury at Brighton on Friday night, with both players doubtful for this New Year’s clash. Mathias Jensen and Sepp van den Berg are the most likely to return from their respective strokes, but the pair may miss out again.
Ethan Pinnock could miss much of January with a hamstring injury, while Kristoffer Ajer, Josh Dasilva, Rico Henry, Aaron Hickey and Igor Thiago are also absent for the hosts.
Predicted Brentford vs Arsenal line-up (4-3-3): Valdimarsson; Roerslev, Collins, Kim, Lewis-Potter; Norgaard, Janelt, Damsgaard; Mbeumo, Wissa, Schade.
There are no fresh concerns from Friday night’s triumph over Ipswich, but there may be a slight reshuffle for Arteta.
Riccardo Calafiori was an unused substitute last time out after recently returning from a groin injury. He will surely feature at Gtech, but Myles Lewis-Skelly’s form at left-back does not warrant a drop.
Mikel Merino could also enter the team with Kai Havertz as a starter. Arsenal are without star winger Saka and the on-loan Raheem Sterling due to hamstring and knee injuries respectively, while full-backs Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu are also out.
Predicted Arsenal vs Brentford line-up (4-3-3): Stripe; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Rice, Merino, Odegaard; Martinelli, Havertz, Jesus.
The decimated hosts have often blown away teams at home this season, but they have their work cut out for them here after being beaten by the transition-heavy Forest ahead of Christmas.
Arsenal will dominate possession in west London and will aim to suffocate the Bees through an aggressive defensive line and ferocious counter-pressing. Brentford’s efficiency once they have regained possession will be key to how successful they are against a robust Gunners side who lack a ruthless edge.
Given Saka’s absence in attack, Arsenal are even more prone to enduring exits similar to their draws at Fulham and Everton in December.
This could be one of those days for Arteta’s men against a depleted Brentford outfit.
