Arsenal host Brentford at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday (watch live, 10am ET on Peacock Premium) as the Gunners aim to get revenge for their defeat at Brentford on the opening day of the season.
STREAM LIVE ARSENAL v BRENTFORD
A lot has changed for both teams since then, as Arsenal have surged up the table in recent months after a slow start to the season. Mikel Arteta has finally made the Gunners robust as Ben White, Gabriel, Aaron Ramsdale and Kieran Tierney have had very good campaigns and were key in their 1-0 win at Wolves last time out. Now that injuries and suspension issues have mostly calmed down (a short rest due to a re-arranged game at the weekend helped with that) Arsenal can push on as they aim to finish in the top four. They are in a fierce battle with West Ham, Manchester United, Tottenham and Wolves to finish in fourth but if the Gunners can keep things tight at the back, they have the stars to win games in attack. Alexandre Lacazette remains their main man up top and he needs Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe and Martin Odegaard to support him and chip in with plenty of goals between now and May.
As for Brentford, well, they stopped the rot as they drew at home against Crystal Palace last time out. They lost five games on the trot before that and Thomas Frank’s side have won just three of their last 18 Premier League games. The newly-promoted side won three of their first seven games to put themselves in a good position, but all of a sudden the Bees are starting to look over their shoulder towards the relegation scrap as they are seven points above the bottom three. With Christian Eriksen nearly ready to contribute for their first team, Frank will hope that Eriksen’s creativity will give everyone a boost and get Ivan Toney and Bryan Mbeumo firing once again.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of Arsenal vs Brentford.
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Arsenal team news, injuries, lineup
The Gunners are without Gabriel Martinelli after his red card against Wolves, while Takehiro Tomiyasu is getting closer to a return form a shin injury and is on the bench. Bernd Leno is back after recently contracting COVID-19. Arsenal will have close to a full-strength lineup for the first time in a while and Mikel Arteta has so many options in central midfield, which is a luxury, with Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka occupying the two holding midfield spots.
🚨 TEAM NEWS!
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) February 19, 2022
🇵🇹 Cedric starts
💪 Xhaka and Partey in midfield
🔥 Saka x Smith Rowe#ARSBRE
Brentford team news, injuries, lineup
After seven months out following his cardiac arrest for Denmark against Finland last summer, Christian Eriksen returned to action as he played 60 minutes in a friendly game for Brentford against Southend during the week. He grabbed an assist and the Danish playmaker was all smiles afterwards, but he is still a little way away from returning to Premier League action. Ivan Toney is still out, while Zanka and Julian Jeanvier remain out but Tarique Fosu is close to a return.
🚨 𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐌 𝐍𝐄𝐖𝐒 🚨
— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) February 19, 2022
🔙 @joshdasilva_ makes his first start of the season
Teams presented by @BlueJeansNet #BrentfordFC #ARSBRE pic.twitter.com/dtyvdykTeT