Arteta: We were desperate to go back to the top
MIKEL ARTETA revealed Arsenal are determined to prove their title credentials and were fired up at Brentford by losing top spot 24 hours earlier. Wins for Manchester City and Tottenham saw Arsenal fall to third but they responded emphatically with a convincing 3-0 win at Brentford to reclaim pole position. Arteta is not shying away from talk of Arsenal being among the teams in contention to win the league. He said: ‘You can ask me every day. Today we are top of the league, I am so happy. ‘On Saturday I was so annoyed because we lost it and we used that to want to get back there and show that we want to be there. ‘That is what we are going to do — push to be the best we can be. That is the aim. The table won’t lie after 38 games normally.’ Goals from William Saliba, Gabriel Jesus and Fabio Vieira, on his full Premier League debut, earned Arsenal their revenge after they were humbled at Brentford on the opening day last season. ‘A lot of people described last season here as a bad day, an embarrassing day. I looked at it as a good character-building day,’ Arteta added. ‘You want to become a different team, you have to learn from those moments and you have to go through those moments. Then days like today happen and everyone is really happy in the dressing room with the way we played. We are enjoying our football and it is another step.’ Meanwhile, Thomas Frank reiterated his commitment to Brentford after being linked with Leicester, where Brendan Rodgers is under growing scrutiny, having also been mentioned as a potential successor to Graham Potter at Brighton before the Seagulls swooped for Roberto de Zerbi. Frank said: ‘Very simple answer. I’m here at Brentford, very happy.’ Asked if the Leicester link was a distraction for him or his squad, Frank said: ‘I can’t speak for the players, but I’m reading very little of these rumours. ‘I’ve been told to be a little aware of it if I get questions and of course it’s nice to be linked with it because it means we’ve done something well here. That’s positive.’
too. Brentford were disappointing. And the margin could have been greater. Gabriel Jesus went on a fine run only for his shot to be saved by Raya after 57 minutes, while a lovely passing move involving Granit Xhaka, Gabriel Martinelli and Jesus ended with Bukayo Saka forcing an excellent stop from Raya on 66 minutes.
Yet forget the notion that this was a straightforward game for Arsenal, whose last league result was the 3-1 defeat by Manchester United. All eyes were on them here and victory was no foregone conclusion. Brentford can be difficult as United and Leeds have found, and Arsenal, beaten and second best last time, were now without captain Martin Odegaard and Oleksandr Zinchenko, a revelation at full back since his move from Manchester City.
Not to worry. Arsenal are made of sterner stuff these days. They were far better at Old Trafford than the scoreline suggested and this was an impressive riposte, the perfect bounce back.
A goal up after 17 minutes, lead doubled after 28, it could have been worse for Brentford had Martinelli not slipped at a vital moment after two minutes when Xhaka — captain on the day and absolutely bossing the game from midfield — put the ball on a plate for him.
Arsenal were on top from that moment, defending well against Toney, and the rest of the frontline. William Saliba, in particular, has the potential to be an outstanding player for the club.
So Arsenal set about Brentford with purpose. They were a physical match and technically superior and their danger in the air is perhaps their most underrated quality.
In the 17th minute, a lovely corner from Saka on the right was met by Saliba with a glancing header. It was a tight angle, but beautifully directed. The ball struck the far post and was palmed out by Raya, but not before it had crossed the line by some distance. Referee David Coote was duly alerted by his magic watch and the goal was given.
Then, 11 minutes later, Arsenal took very firm control. Xhaka and Kieran Tierney exchanged passes on the left before Xhaka struck a fine cross, met by Jesus in a foolish amount of space. Like Zinchenko, he has blossomed since leaving Manchester City and his header gave Raya no chance. The game was pretty much done at that point. Brentford offered little.
After 52 minutes, Toney received the shortest of free-kicks, flicked the ball up and then struck it on the volley, just over the bar.
It would have been a superb goal but it was a matter of seconds in 90-plus minutes of relative calm. For him, and Brentford, this was a game to forget, and a reminder of the step up that international football will be.
For Arsenal, though, it just kept getting better. As four minutes of