On Friday evening, Brentford and Brighton surprisingly ended their match in a 0-0 draw, considering their recent offensive performances. However, this result contributed to the Bees securing their second away point in this Premier League season (D2, L7). Due to their struggles on the road, manager Thomas Frank is likely pleased to return his team to the Gtech Stadium for this upcoming encounter with Arsenal. They have impressively collected a joint-high of 22 points at home in the top-flight this season (W7, D1, L1).
Although, their spirits may be slightly dampened by their recent 2-0 loss to Nottingham Forest at home, marking their first scoreless outing in 11 competitive matches at this venue. Brentford will aim to reverse this trend, but it might be challenging as they have been defeated in their last three home matches against this opponent without scoring.
The Arsenal supporters will be pleased to hear about their team’s continued strong performance after a 1-0 victory over Ipswich, maintaining their impressive record across all competitions. This win extended their unbeaten streak to 11 games (eight wins, three draws), as they strive to catch up with Liverpool at the top of the table and claim their first Premier League title since the 2003/04 season.
To achieve this, Mikel Arteta’s squad must enhance their away form. Although they haven’t lost in their last four away league fixtures (two wins, two draws), their three defeats in competitive matches this season have occurred on the road. However, optimism remains as they have avoided defeat in all ten of their Premier League London derbies in 2024 (eight wins, two draws).
Key players to watch include Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo, who has participated in 14 goals over his last 15 Premier League London derbies (12 goals, two assists). Nonetheless, Arsenal’s Kai Havertz might steal the spotlight as he scored the decisive goal in both league encounters last season, each time after the 85th minute.
Interesting fact: Brentford have not suffered a defeat in their last six league matches played on New Year’s Day since 2007, achieving four wins and two draws.
