Arsenal stumbles again in draw with Brentford in EPL

Football

Published 11.02.2023

Arsenal stumbles again in draw with Brentford in EPL

LONDON (AP) — Arsenal’s grip on the English Premier League lead is abruptly wanting shaky.

The Gunners have been held by Brentford to 1-1 at Emirates Stadium on Saturday, dropping factors for the second sport in a row and giving Manchester City renewed hope of overtaking them atop the desk.

The end result means City can reduce Arsenal’s result in three factors with a house win over Aston Villa on Sunday. With Arsenal then internet hosting City on Wednesday, Pep Guardiola’s group would go prime on purpose distinction if it wins each matches — though the Gunners have performed one sport much less.

Leandro Trossard’s first Arsenal purpose gave the hosts the lead within the 66th minute when he steered in a cross from Bukayo Saka. But Ivan Toney equalized with a close-range header eight minutes later after the Gunners didn’t clear a free kick.

Coming off a 1-0 loss at Everton final weekend, Arsenal seemed flat once more for a lot of the sport and was even lucky to not be behind on the break as Brentford wasted two nice possibilities.

Toney’s cross from the best evaded Arsenal defenders to present Rico Henry a chance to attain into an open internet, however the full again couldn’t make clear contact with the ball and it sailed vast.

Toney then almost scored within the twenty fifth after Bryan Mbeumo teed him up inside the world, however the striker’s shot hit the nook of the purpose body.

With Arsenal’s assault sputtering, Trossard got here off the bench to supply a much-needed spark. The former Brighton ahead, who joined Arsenal within the January switch window, was available on the far put up to fit the ball into an empty internet after being picked out by Saka.

But the lead didn’t final lengthy.

After Arsenal couldn’t clear an in swinging free kick into the world, Brentford stored the ball alive with three straight headers earlier than Christian Norgaard squared the ball throughout the goalmouth, the place Toney had a simple header into an empty internet. The Brentford celebrations have been placed on maintain for a prolonged VAR test for a potential offside earlier than the purpose was allowed to face.

Arteta, although, insisted the purpose ought to have been disallowed as a result of Ethan Pinnock was offside when he blocked Arsenal defender Gabriel from attending to the ball within the leadup.

“I just looked back and it is offside, yes,” Arteta mentioned. “You cannot block if you are offside.”

Oleksandr Zinchenko shot narrowly vast within the eightieth as Arsenal seemed for a direct response however the hosts by no means got here nearer to a winner.

For Bentford, it’s now 10 video games unbeaten within the league after one other massive end result towards the normal prime groups.

Thomas Frank’s group has overwhelmed Manchester United, Man City and Liverpool this season, with attracts towards Chelsea, Tottenham and now Arsenal.

“We have this secret sauce at the training ground that we give to the players every lunch. No, I wish it was that, that would be a good story,” Frank mentioned. “It’s insane that it’s possible for us with the second lowest budget to be unbeaten and all 10 games well deserved wins or draws. It’s not like we’re crawling over the line. That’s maybe even more impressive.”