The Premier League title race heats up as league leaders Arsenal travel to West London to face Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium. Scheduled for Thursday, February 12 at 8:00 P.M. GMT (Friday, February 13 at 1:30 AM IST), this London derby pits Mikel Arteta's high-flying Gunners against a "Bees" side that has become a giant-killer under the guidance of Keith Andrews.
With Manchester City breathing down their necks with a win over Fulham last night, Arsenal cannot afford a slip-up, but injuries to key personnel might just level the playing field for the hosts.
Team News and Injury Updates
Mikel Arteta faces a selection headache following the confirmation that Kai Havertz is set to miss several weeks due to a new muscular injury, a major setback to Arteta's attacking
depth. This adds to a list of concerns that includes Mikel Merino (foot surgery) and Max Dowman. Key stars Bukayo Saka, Martin Ødegaard, and Leandro Trossard are all facing late fitness tests, though reports suggest Saka is the most likely to feature from the start.
The Bees are in a rich vein of form, having secured back-to-back away wins against Aston Villa and Newcastle. However, they will be without the suspended Kevin Schade. Long-term absentees include Fábio Carvalho and Josh Dasilva. On a positive note, defender Rico Henry is nearing a full return, providing a boost to a backline tasked with stopping Arsenal's fluid attack.
Predicted Lineups
Arsenal (4-3-2-1): Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Rice, Zubimendi, Ødegaard; Saka, Gyökeres, Martinelli.
Brentford (4-3-3): Kelleher; Collins, Ajer, Van den Berg, Lewis-Potter; Jensen, Janelt, Yarmoliuk; Kayode, Thiago, Ouattara.
Head-to-Head and Recent Form
Arsenal's dominance over Brentford is clear from recent meetings. Arsenal has won 5 of the last 6 meetings against Brentford. The Gunners also delivered a convincing 2-0 victory when these sides met earlier this season. Meanwhile, Brentford, in 7th place in the Premier League, continue to defy expectations with strong performances at home.
Brentford vs Arsenal Match Prediction
While Brentford is arguably in their best form of the season, Arsenal's "title-winning" mentality has seen them grind out results even when not at 100%. The loss of Havertz is significant, but the potential return of Ødegaard and the clinical finishing of Viktor Gyökeres should be enough to see the Gunners past a resilient Bees side.
Expect a cagey first half followed by an intense second period where Arsenal's depth makes the difference.
Final Score Prediction: Brentford 1 - Arsenal 2.
