Welbeck strikes timely double

The most effective means of contract negotiation has always been out on the pitch and, in now approaching October as Arsenal’s joint top goalscorer, Danny Welbeck is making an unexpectedly persuasive case.

He is in the final year of his current deal, and two more goals here were not only sufficient to see off Brentford and double his season’s tally but also demonstrate to new head coach Unai Emery that he is a legitimate option across any of the front three positions.

Welbeck scored twice in the first half while operating as the main central striker but, with Brentford seriously threatening a second-half comeback in front of 9,000 vocal fans, Emery is as likely to be pleased with his wider contribution when he later moved out to the right. It was a move that helped both to solidify Arsenal defensively and allow Alexandre Lacazette to add a deceptive gloss to the scoreline.

After defeats in the opening two matches this season against Chelsea and Manchester City, it was also another example of what Petr Cech has called Arsenal’s developing ability to “win ugly” and they are now on a run of six straight victories.

Emery promised further chances now for Welbeck and confirmed that talks were ongoing over extending his contract. “They are working and speaking with the club, but for me the focus is only on performance,” he said.

Matteo Guendouzi took only five minutes to cross just in front of Ezri Konsa for Welbeck to head past Luke Daniels before Nacho Monreal crossed for Welbeck to finish with his left foot at the near-post for his second.

But Brentford were not done. Alan Judge brilliantly curled his free-kick up and over the defensive wall and, with Bernd Leno slow to get back across his goal, the ball crept inside his left-hand post before Lacazette sealed it in added time.