Game Week 32 Predictions: Arsenal and Brentford to score at the Emirates

Arsenal hosts Brentford with eyes on Madrid trip; Bees seek to exploit possible rotation. Expect goals in a key Premier League clash at the Emirates.

Arsenal's approach to the visit of Brentford could determine their momentum going into the Real Madrid game, will they go all out? (Photo credit: Opta)

 Arsenal vs Brentford

Emirates Stadium

5:30pm

The Gunners are still on cloud 9; their sensational 3-0 success over Real Madrid at the Emirates in midweek has given strong confidence to their players and fans. Now they must build on it.

Brentford must sense an opportunity, with Arsenal eyeing their trip to Madrid in midweek; Mikel Arteta could field a weak side, as the general belief is that the Premier League title is now beyond their reach, with Liverpool only needing eleven points from their remaining seven games to wrap things up.

Just as it happened last weekend at Everton, where Mikel Arteta rested the likes of Bukayo Saka, Thomas Partey, Martin Ødegaard and Gabriel Martinelli, Thomas Frank would sense a repeat of that with Arsenal needing to finish off the job at the Santiago Bernabéu.

Without a shadow of a doubt, Arsenal’s full focus would be on the midweek trip to Spain; however, you don’t expect the Gunners to throw in the towel in the league just yet. With Liverpool dropping points last weekend, Arsenal would feel they could drop more under pressure.

Where would this game be played? Expect lots of high-energy battles in the midfield, where the Bees are expected to restore Mattias Jensen to the starting lineup, having missed out last weekend at home to Chelsea; they would need his passing and grit.

In the goalless draw against Chelsea last weekend, Brighton failed to reach the heights they typically get to when playing at home; they will need to do better when they visit the Emirates, considering their odd record away to Arsenal.

The Bees won their first game in the top flight against the Gunners but have only picked one point against Arsenal since then. The Gunners won the reverse fixture in the first game of the year 3-1 at the G-Tech Stadium; Arteta would hope for more of the same.

Bryan Mbeumo had a quiet game against Chelsea, quite uncharacteristic of him, and that told severely on Yoan Wissa and Kevin Schade. The trio must take advantage of whatever opportunity they get on Saturday at the Emirates.

Arsenal could return again with Raheem Sterling and Ethan Nwaneri in attack as they keep an eye on the Madrid game, but that in itself is something to worry about with the two wingers seeking to prove points to make a case for potential future inclusion in important fixtures.

Verdict: Both teams to score.