Game Week 28 Predictions: Arsenal to beat Brentford

Arsenal aims to continue title chase against Brentford; Bees face relegation threat in crucial match at the Emirates.

Kai Havertz heads home the winner as Arsenal ran out 1-0 winners in the reverse fixture at the G-Tech Community Stadium. (Photo credit: GOAL)

 Arsenal vs. Brentford

Emirates Stadium

6:30pm

Arsenal is well and truly in the title race; they sit just two points off the top of the table and could be on top of the log after this fixture, but only a win will make that happen.

It’s strange for the Bees, but Thomas Frank’s side sits just six points off the relegation zone and has even played a game more than Luton; a loss at the Emirates against Arsenal could throw them into the relegation mix fully. That’s precarious.

Arsenal’s scoring spree continued at Sheffield on Monday with another six goals recorded, five different scorers, and, despite Bukayo Saka being withdrawn at halftime, the hosts didn’t have a sniff of Arsenal’s area throughout the game.

Sheffield United isn’t the right measure for a title-winning side, but Arsenal is dealing with the smaller teams mercilessly this year; it’s an improvement on old practices where they beat a big side this minute and then lose to a smaller side the next.

Brentford showed they can be giant killers last weekend against Chelsea; they were inches away from scraping the full scalp of the Blues but would take the point they earned in the end after Axel Disasi headed home the leveler with seconds remaining in regulation time.

Arsenal’s Saka and Gabriel Martinelli are expected to be fit for this one; Thomas Partey returned to full fitness and played a part in Sheffield’s demolition on Monday; Jurien Timber is back in the squad; and only Takehiro Tomiyasu is not available for selection.

Brentford has only one win in their last five games; they have lost eleven of their last twelve, and it’s not a good time to play a free-scoring side, but Brentford doesn’t know when they’re getting beaten; they fight till the very end.

Brentford has a bit of a defensive crisis; the trio of Ben Mee, Ethan Pinnock, and Aaron Hickey, who all featured in the reverse fixture, are not available for selection due to injuries. They will hope Bryan Mbeumo is fit after returning to training.

David Raya cannot face his parent club; he will be in the stands to cheer Aaron Ramsdale in goal. Arsenal won the reverse fixture by a late Kai Havertz header, and they will hope to have an easier day in office against the Bees on Saturday.

Verdict: Arsenal to win.