Since Brentford's first-ever Premier League match, a 2-0 victory over the Gunners, Arsenal have won all three visits to the Gtech Community Stadium, all without conceding; Mikel Arteta's team did not lose any of their ten league London derbies in 2024, the first team to achieve this in a calendar year since Chelsea 19 years earlier.
Brentford vs Arsenal Preview
Will 2025 finally be the year Arsenal end their interminable wait for a Premier League title? The Gunners collected the most points, scored the most goals, conceded the fewest and accumulated the most clean sheets of any team in the division in 2024, but that doesn't count for much unless they are the side hoisting aloft the trophy on 25 May 2025. To conclude last year, Kai Havertz's goal was enough to down Ipswich in North London on Friday night, a game that was significantly more one-sided than the 1-0 scoreline would suggest.
Mikel Arteta's team are now unbeaten in 11 matches, the third-longest undefeated sequence the club have ever concluded a calendar year with, after 17 matches in 1986 and 16 games in 2003. In the former, the Gunners would beat Liverpool in the League Cup Final before, in 03/04, of course, capturing their most-recent league title; Gooners would settle for a repeat of both of these in the coming months! Right now, recent draws with Everton and Fulham are holding this team back, hence why they kick off nine points adrift Liverpool, making this trip to West London must win.
Brentford meantime are winless in three, suffering back-to-back defeats at the hands of Chelsea and Nottingham Forest, before earning a credible goalless draw with Brighton five nights ago. The defeat to Forest was the first time Thomas Frank's team had been beaten at home all season, collecting 22 points out of a possible 24, but that fortress status has now been vaporized. The Bees are currently 11th, five places better off than where they finished last time round, so can they avoid back-to-back home defeats for the first time since February?
Brentford vs Arsenal Head-to-Head Record
- Matches Played: 20.
- Brentford Wins: 6. Draws: 5. Arsenal Wins: 9.
Brentford Team News
Fair to say, Thomas Frank is currently contending with an injury crisis. Aaron Hickey and Rico Henry are sidelined long-term and defensive options are extremely limited, given that Ethan Pinnock, Kristoffer Ajer and Sepp van den Berg are also sidelined. Ben Mee hobbled off towards the end in Brighton, replaced by Kim Ji-soo for his Premier League debut, but there is optimism that the veteran will be fit to start again. Similarly, in goal, Mark Flekken suffered a muscle injury on Friday night, replaced by Hákon Valdimarsson for his own Premier League debut, with the Icelandic international set to deputise. Elsewhere, Keane Lewis-Potter will continue to fill-in at left-back while, in midfield, the trio will remain unchanged in the continued absence of Mathias Jensen. Lastly, club-record signing Igor Thiago is also out, with Frank set to be without an entire starting XI worth of players, so Kevin Schade will complete the attacking trident.
Brentford predicted lineup vs Arsenal: (4-2-3-1): Valdimarsson; Roerslev, Collins, Mee, Lewis-Potter; Nørgaard, Janelt, Damsgaard; Mbuemo, Wissa, Schade.
Brentford Players to Watch vs Arsenal
Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa both have ten goals to their name this season, in both cases eight of these have been scored at home, while Wissa was the only Bees player to score against Arsenal in three attempts last season.
Arsenal Team News
The Gunners are adjusting to life without Bukayo Saka, who suffered a serious hamstring injury at Selhurst 11 days ago, set to be sidelined for "more than two months", which is a ginormous blow. Benjamin White and Takehiro Tomiyasu are also out, but Riccardo Calafiori, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Kieran Tierney were all unused substitutes against Ipswich, giving Mikel Arteta a few more defensive options. All of that trio are contenders to start left-back, but they'll have to dislodge Myles Lewis-Skelly from that position, with the 18-year-old earning rave reviews, therefore hoping to start a fifth successive Premier League or Champions League game.
Calafiori could come in to add so extra physicality while, for this tough away game, Thomas Partey is set to return to midfield, with Kai Havertz leading the attack, while could Gabriel Jesus attempt to fill the Saka void on the right, or will Gabriel Martinelli keep his place on that side? If either Jesus or, crucially, Jurriën Timber are cautioned they will sit out Saturday's trip to Brighton; the yellow card threshold increases to ten after this game.
Arsenal predicted lineup vs Brentford: (4-3-3): Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Partey, Rice, Ødegaard; Jesus, Martinelli, Havertz.
Arsenal Player to Watch vs Brentford
David Raya will face his former club for the first time, having been ineligible to do so last season as he was on loan. The Spaniard has accumulated 23 clean sheets in his first 50 appearances for Arsenal, which is a club-record.
Brentford vs Arsenal Prediction
Given Brentford's injury crisis, we are forecasting an Arsenal victory in this London derby. If the Gunners are going to prevail, it's likely to be a low-scoring affair, with Arteta's team determined to keep the Bees' front three quiet, while relying on their attacking quality to claim victory: Brentford 0-2 Arsenal.
Brentford vs Arsenal FAQs - Premier League
How to watch Brentford vs Arsenal Premier League game on TV channel?
Brentford vs Arsenal Premier League game will be available on the following TV channels;
- UK: TNT Sports 1 & Ultimate
- USA: fuboTV, NBC, Telemundo & Deportes En Vivo
- Canada: Fubo Sports Network Canada
How to watch Brentford vs Arsenal Premier League game on live streaming?
Brentford vs Arsenal Premier League game will be available on the following streaming services;
- UK: discovery+
- USA: fuboTV, nbcsports.com, USA Network, Telemundo & SiriusXM FC
- Canada: fuboTV Canada
What is the date and kick-off time for Brentford vs Arsenal in the Premier League?
Brentford vs Arsenal takes place on Wednesday 1 January 2025, New Year's Day, with kick off at 17:30 (GMT), 12:30 (EDT) & 9:30 (PST).