Arsenal vs. Brentford: EPL Match Preview, Odds & Predictions

Arsenal will be back in Premier League action on Saturday night when they visit Brentford in a London derby; the Gunners are probably still pinching themselves after their incredible Champions League accomplishments.

The home team, managed by Mikel Arteta, is now celebrating a 3-0 European victory over Real Madrid. In contrast, the away team battled to a scoreless draw with nearby rivals Chelsea in their previous match.

Previous Matches and Head-to-head

While Real Madrid suffered a humbling at the hands of Arsenal, Declan Rice stole the spotlight with two stunning free-kick goals—more than Kylian Mbappe has managed in his senior career. Rice became the first player in Champions League knockout history to score twice from direct free kicks in a single game, with Mikel Merino adding a third to complete a dominant 3-0 win.

Despite Thibaut Courtois' heroics in goal, Madrid escaped without a heavier defeat, and with their slim hopes of a Premier League and Champions League double still alive, Arsenal turned their attention back to domestic matters. They're coming off a 1-1 draw with Everton and sit 11 points behind leaders Manchester City, suggesting a top-four finish is the realistic target.

Brentford, meanwhile, remains stuck in mid-table. Their draw with Chelsea extended their winless home run to nine, and they've claimed just one league victory of late. Despite a golden chance missed by Sepp van den Berg, the Bees couldn't find a winner, and their top-half hopes are slipping, now sitting 12th—three points off 10th and nine behind Aston Villa in seventh.

Arsenal are unbeaten in seven meetings with Brentford since their 2021 top-flight return, including a 3-1 win on New Year's Day. The Bees haven't won away at Arsenal since 1938, and history doesn't favor them ending that drought on Saturday.

Arsenal x Brentford Team News

Arsenal's 3-0 win over Real Madrid came at a small cost, with Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice both subbed off late due to knocks. While neither is expected to miss the return leg at the Bernabeu, Mikel Arteta may consider resting them and opening the door for minutes for Jorginho and Ethan Nwaneri.

Arsenal remain without several key players: Kai Havertz, Gabriel Magalhaes, Riccardo Calafiori, Takehiro Tomiyasu, and Gabriel Jesus are all sidelined, while Raheem Sterling is back from suspension.

Brentford, meanwhile, are still missing five players, but Rico Henry made a welcome return to the matchday squad. Gustavo Nunes and Aaron Hickey are nearing full fitness, but Fabio Carvalho, Igor Thiago, and Josh Dasilva remain out. No fresh concerns have emerged since their draw with Chelsea, and Thomas Frank is likely to field a similar lineup, with Vitaly Janelt possibly replacing Yehor Yarmoliuk.

Our predictions

Arsenal to win @ 1.63 on Sky247.ng

As Arteta makes extensive changes with the second leg in mind, Arsenal will undoubtedly encounter a more challenging opponent than Real Madrid. This starkly contrasts the almost unbelievable statement from just a few days ago.

We still anticipate the hosts' victorious emergence in a nail-biting derby on Saturday night, despite Frank's side's ability to frustrate the Gunners and hit them on the break with the speed and skill of Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa. Several Arsenal players will be eager to show off their talents to start at the Bernabeu.

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