Premier League leaders Arsenal face another tough match as they travel across London to play Brentford, who are hoping to qualify for Europe.
Brentford ended January with two Premier League defeats, but they have responded well in February with two wins in a row to boost their chances of finishing in the top five. Their impressive 3-2 away win against Newcastle on Saturday was a big statement and continued their strong form away from home, which has supported their reputation as one of the league’s best home teams this season. The Bees have lost only two of their 12 league matches at the Gtech Community Stadium so far (winning seven and drawing three). However, they have not won any of their last seven home Premier League London derbies since August 2024, which may be a concern.
Arsenal took another major step towards their first Premier League title since 2003/04 at the weekend when they beat Sunderland 3-0 at the Emirates. They go into this midweek round six points clear at the top of the table, so confidence will be high. However, the fact the match is being played on a Thursday could be a small worry, as Arsenal have not won any of their last three league matches played on a Thursday (drawing one and losing two), and they failed to score in all three. Even so, their overall away derby record is excellent, with just one defeat in their last 20 away Premier League London derbies (winning 14 and drawing five).
Brentford’s first ever Premier League win came against Arsenal in August 2021, but since then they have not beaten the Gunners in eight league meetings (two draws and six losses).
Some interesting statistics stand out ahead of the match. Brentford’s home Premier League games are averaging just 8.92 corners per match. They have scored first in 15 league games this season, with only three teams doing so more often. Arsenal have kept four clean sheets in their last five Premier League matches, and they have conceded only six first-half goals all season, which is among the best records in the league.
One player to watch for Brentford is Igor Thiago, who has scored nine goals in his last ten Premier League home games. Six of his last seven home league goals have come in the final half-hour. For Arsenal, Viktor Gyökeres has scored more goals than any other Premier League player in 2026 across all competitions, with six in total. Four of his last five goals have also come after the 60th minute.
Brentford have no new injury problems, but Arsenal may be without several key players, including Bukayo Saka and Martin Ødegaard.
