Brentford Archives

Arsenal held by Brentford to offer Manchester City Premier League title hope

Arsenal missed the chance to extend their Premier League lead to six points as Brentford rattled the Gunners in a 1-1 draw on Thursday to give Manchester City hope in the title race.

Noni Madueke headed the leaders in front on the hour mark, but the Bees were well worthy of at least a point and levelled through Keane Lewis-Potter.

Arsenal’s lead at the top of the table now stands at four points as they aim for a first league title in 22 years.

But Mikel Arteta’s men still have to travel to second-placed City in the remaining 12 games of the season.

A point boosted Brentford’s bid to qualify for European football for the first time as they remain in seventh.

Keith Andrews’ side have only been beaten twice at home all season, and Arsenal can count themselves fortunate not to have suffered just a fourth league defeat of the campaign.

David Raya foiled his former club with a stunning save to claw away Igor Thiago’s powerful header with the best chance of the first half.

Arsenal were missing William Saliba and Kai Havertz through illness and injury, respectively, but were boosted by the return of Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka on the bench.

Arteta sent for Odegaard at half-time to turn the tide, and the visitors started the second period with far more intent.

Arsenal’s pressure had its reward when Madueke rose highest at the back post to head Piero Hincapie’s cross back across Caoimhin Kelleher.

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However, the visitors were guilty of trying to hold onto their advantage rather than continuing to take the game to Brentford.

Thiago stung the palms of Raya once more as the home side grew in confidence.

Lewis Potter should have levelled earlier when he headed wide from a corner when completely unmarked.

Arsenal’s strength from set-pieces has played a huge role in putting them in pole position for the title.

But they struggled to cope with Brentford’s own prowess from dead balls.

The equaliser arrived from one of Michael Kayode’s long-throws propellled into the box, Sepp van den Berg won the flick-on, and Lewis Potter stole in ahead of Odegaard to head in.

Brentford were the far more likely winners in the final 20 minutes.

Cristhian Mosquera made a vital last-ditch tackle to deny Thiago.

The Brazilian’s best chance for an 18th Premier League goal of the season came in stoppage time, but he smashed inches over.

But Arsenal also had a chance to snatch victory at the death when Kelleher raced off his line to save from Gabriel Martinelli.

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Liverpool suffer fourth consecutive Premier League defeat at Brentford

Liverpool slumped to a fourth consecutive Premier League defeat as Brentford bullied the defending champions in a 3-2 win on Saturday.

Goals from Dango Ouattara, Kevin Schade, and Igor Thiago secured victory for the Bees, who climb to 10th in the table.

Liverpool slip to sixth and could be seven points adrift of leaders Arsenal by Sunday as their title defence has collapsed in spectacular style over the past month.

The Reds have lost five of their last six games in all competitions as Arne Slot appears lost for answers in how to develop a cohesive team from a Premier League record spend of nearly £450 million ($600 million) in the transfer window.

Liverpool struggled to deal with the flight of Michael Kayode’s throw-ins all night and one was the source of the opening goal.

Kristoffer Ajer flicked on the Italian’s wicked delivery and Ouattara volleyed in.

Despite Brentford’s lack of possession they continued to pose the greater goal threat.

Giorgi Mamardashvili tipped over Mikkel Damsgaard’s dipping strike.

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Damsgaard then created Brentford’s second with a brilliant through ball that saw Schade leave Ibrahima Konate trailing before firing low past Mamardashvili.

Liverpool have conceded at least twice in six of their nine league games this season.

Milos Kerkez’s struggles since a £40 million move from Bournemouth have played a major part in Liverpool’s implosion.

The Hungarian made amends for another shaky display when he turned in Conor Bradley’s cross five minutes into first half stoppage time.

Brentford were furious as the referee had signalled for only three minutes to be added.

However, the home side benefitted when a VAR intervention awarded a penalty for Virgil van Dijk’s kick on Ouattara on the hour mark.

A free-kick had initially been given, but replays showed the Liverpool captain made contact just inside the area.

Thiago sent Mamardashvili the wrong way and there was no way back for Liverpool after another disjointed and dispirited display from the defending champions.

Salah was denied by Sepp van den Berg’s desire to throw his body in the way of his shot with the chance to pull a goal back immediately.

The Egyptian did eventually end his six-game goal drought at club level in spectacular fashion by controlling Dominik Szoboszlai’s cross and smashing in off the underside of the bar in the 89th minute.

But it was too little, too late to slow Liverpool’s dramatic decline since the disruption of a squad overhaul in the summer and the grief caused by the shock death of Diogo Jota in a car accident in July.

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Ruben Amorim under pressure as Brentford stun Manchester United

Troubled Manchester United crashed to a 3-1 defeat at Brentford on Saturday as Bruno Fernandes’s penalty miss piled pressure on beleaguered boss Ruben Amorim.

Amorim’s side paid the price for another error-strewn display as Igor Thiago netted twice in the opening 20 minutes to punish shambolic defending.

Benjamin Sesko reduced the deficit with his first goal for United before half-time.

But United captain Fernandes squandered a golden opportunity to rescue a draw when his tame penalty was saved by Caoimhin Kelleher late in the second half before Mathias Jensen wrapped up the points in stoppage time.

Amorim had arrived in west London hoping to finally win successive league matches as United boss.

Instead, he left fearing the sack after the latest low moment since he moved from Sporting Lisbon to replace the axed Erik ten Hag in November.

United have lost three of their six Premier League games this season, winning just twice, and are languishing in 13th place.

A humiliating League Cup loss at fourth-tier Grimsby in August had fuelled speculation over Amorim’s future, with the boss admitting he had thought about quitting and often hated his players.

The 40-year-old was under fire again after a miserable 3-0 loss at Manchester City before last weekend’s 2-1 win over Chelsea gave him a little breathing space.

Losing to a Brentford team beaten three times in their first five games under the inexperienced boss Keith Andrews was a fresh indignity for Amorim, who will face renewed questions about his ability to revive United.

United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe reportedly gave his backing to Amorim during a recent meeting at the club’s training ground.

Ratcliffe’s support is likely to waver after this result, which leaves Amorim in dire need of a win over promoted Sunderland at Old Trafford next weekend before a daunting trip to champions Liverpool.

Matheus Cunha returned to the United team as the Brazilian started along with Benjamin Sesko and former Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo in attack for the first time since the trio’s summer moves.

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But United’s recent trips to Brentford have proved painful experiences, with a 4-0 defeat three years ago and a 4-3 loss in May.

Their latest visit to west London was no exception as United’s flaws were quickly exposed when Thiago struck after just eight minutes.

Jordan Henderson played an acceptable lofted pass beyond United’s flat-footed defence and, with Harry Maguire’s offside appeal in vain, Thiago drilled a clinical finish past Altay Bayindir from just inside the penalty area.

Brentford struck again in the 20th minute when Thiago flicked on to Kevin Schade, who burst into the area for a shot that Bayindir could only palm to Thiago, who poked home from close range.

Signed from Club Brugge to replace Bryan Mbeumo, Thiago already has five goals for the Bees, while the United forward, who netted 20 times in the league last term, has just two this season.

Like Mbeumo, Sesko had endured a disappointing start following his move from Leipzig.

The 22-year-old Slovenian finally showed a glimpse of his potential in the 26th minute.

Kelleher failed to deal with Patrick Dorgu’s cross under pressure from Mbeumo, and Sesko converted the rebound after his first two efforts were saved.

Yet United’s sloppy defending almost cost them again as Diogo Dalot’s weak challenge in the area was shrugged off by Kevin Schade, who teed up Dango Ouattara for a low shot that Bayindir saved at full stretch.

Amorim was given a lifeline in the 75th minute when Nathan Collins’ tug on Mbeumo conceded a penalty.

But after a long delay for a VAR check and a host of substitutions, Fernandes took a weak spot-kick that Kelleher easily saved.

As the final seconds ticked away, United were caught with a sucker punch on the counter.

Jensen raced away unchallenged and cut inside for a ferocious strike that fizzed into the roof of the net as Amorim’s misery mounted.

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