In England, football is played not only on Boxing Day but also on New Year’s Day: on the first day of the year, Arsenal visits Brentford for a Premier League match. This local derby is crucial for the standings, as Arsenal can take a significant step toward the top spot. However, Brentford holds the home advantage and is determined to avoid slipping into the relegation zone. Read everything about this match in this article.
Brentford – Arsenal
Last night, fireworks lit up the sky near Big Ben, and tonight we’re hoping for some fireworks on the pitch in London. Arsenal takes on Brentford in a local derby, carrying an impressive statistic: in 2024, Arsenal won all 10 local derbies they played. On the other hand, The Bees have earned nearly all their points at home, so the home advantage is likely to play a major role again.
The last time Brentford managed to beat Arsenal was in August 2021. In the three matches since then, the Gunners claimed victory each time. Their most recent encounter was in November 2023, when Kai Havertz scored a late winning goal. That marked Arsenal’s fourth win against The Bees, compared to one loss and one draw. However, that doesn’t mean history will repeat itself this time.
The statistics seem to cancel each other out, so we can expect an intriguing match. Arsenal has the stronger team on paper, but Brentford’s home advantage and fan support could tip the scales. Arsenal, too, will be highly motivated—they need to collect points from nearly every game to keep up with Liverpool.
Brentford
Brentford Football Club, nicknamed “The Bees,” was founded in 1889. Although they played at Griffin Park starting in 1904, the club moved to the Brentford Community Stadium in 2020. While the club has not achieved significant success, they’ve managed to stay in the Premier League for three consecutive years.
Currently, Brentford sits in 12th place in the Premier League standings, nearly right in the middle. The Bees have had mixed results, with seven wins and eight losses in 18 matches. If they maintain this position, it would mark an improvement over last year: in 2024, coach Thomas Frank narrowly kept Brentford in the Premier League, finishing in 16th place.
One familiar face on Brentford’s roster is former Club Brugge striker Igor Thiago. He moved to England this year after an impressive season with the Belgian club, but his time at Brentford got off to a rough start. A meniscus injury sidelined him for months, and his debut for The Bees came only on November 23. Thiago has yet to score for Brentford, but Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa have each tallied 10 goals so far this season.
Arsenal
Arsenal FC, founded in 1886, is one of the most successful clubs in England. The “Gunners” play their home matches at the Emirates Stadium, the third-largest football stadium in England. Their most iconic coach was Arsène Wenger, who managed the team from 1996 to 2018. Arsenal has won the league title 13 times and the FA Cup 14 times.
Last year, Arsenal finished the Premier League just behind Manchester City, who clinched the title with only a two-point lead. This earned Arsenal a spot in the Champions League, where they are currently among the top three teams. Back in the Premier League, Liverpool leads the standings with a significant gap: Nottingham Forest, in second place, is already eight points behind. Arsenal, in third place, could climb up with a victory.
Arsenal’s current coach is Mikel Arteta. His squad includes star players like Gabriel Jesus and Declan Rice, but it’s Kai Havertz who has been the main goal scorer, delivering 12 goals this season. Belgian player Leandro Trossard has scored four so far. Bukayo Saka, who has already scored nine goals for the London team, remains sidelined due to an injury.
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