Arsenal Set to Increase Lead with Brentford Visit

Seeking to avoid a third successive defeat across all competitions, Arsenal return to the Emirates this afternoon for a London derby against Brentford in the Premier League

IMkel Arteta’s side were stunned 1-0 by relegation-threatened Everton last time out, while the Bees cruised to a 3-0 triumph over Southampton to further their European ambitions.

The ingredients for an upset were there, and Arsenal were served a slice of humble pie at Goodison Park – a ground that has not treated them well in recent years – as a physically dominant Everton side deservedly handed the Gunners just their second league defeat of the season.

Under the tutelage of football pragmatist Sean Dyche, Everton put in the hard graft that would have delighted the ex-Burnley boss to no end, and they got their reward on the hour mark as James Tarkowski easily out-muscled Martin Odegaard to head home from a corner.

However, the whole of North London was cheering on Sunday when Tottenham Hotspur edged Manchester City 1-0, leaving the Gunners five points clear at the top of the table with a game in hand, and an eight-point lead will temporarily be theirs should they return to winning ways.

The threat of sanctions against Man City following their series of charges for alleged financial breaches is music to the ears of Arsenal fans, but any potential punishments – including points deductions – will not be administered for some time yet, so keeping the champions at bay for now is of paramount importance before the two sides clash at the Emirates on Wednesday.

Still unbeaten at home in the Premier League this season – only Newcastle United can also boast that feat – Arsenal welcome Brentford to the Emirates having won eight and drawn one of their last nine home fixtures in the top flight, albeit while keeping just two clean sheets in that time.

The Gtech Community Stadium also played host to a match between a capital side and basement battlers, but there was to be no reprieve for Southampton at the home of the buzzing Bees, who strolled to a 3-0 win over their South Coast counterparts.

Ben Mee’s brave header, Bryan Mbeumo’s finish and Mathias Jensen’s third capped off a brilliant afternoon for Thomas Frank’s side, who are taking full advantage of Chelsea and Liverpool’s misfortunes to put themselves right in the European mix.

Indeed, Frank’s crop travel to the Emirates sitting pretty in seventh in the table, just six points behind fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur with a game in hand and one below Brighton & Hove Albion, although the Seagulls have played one game fewer too.

Victory over Southampton extended Brentford’s unbeaten run in the Premier League to an impressive nine games, and Frank’s staunch defence have only conceded one goal in their last five top-flight matches – keeping clean sheets in each of their last three. However, Brentford have won just twice away from home all season – although one of those successes did come at Man City – and Arsenal eased to a 3-0 win at the Gtech Community Stadium in September, a game that will be best remembered for the introduction of the Premier League’s youngest-ever player, 15-year-old Ethan Nwaneri.

Having experienced one of the most turbulent weeks off the field in their 143-year history, Manchester City return to Premier League action with the visit of Aston Villa to the Etihad on Sunday afternoon.

Pep Guardiola’s side fell to a 1-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur last time out, while the visitors are looking to bounce back from a defeat of their own after going down 4-2 to Leicester City.

Keeping players focused on the top-flight title race has been a thankless task for Guardiola in recent days, as Man City take to the pitch for the first time since being charged with over 100 alleged breaches of Premier League financial rules relating to sponsorship income, revenue and operating costs.

While the Citizens have emphatically denied the charges – which have now been passed on to an independent commission – a sombre atmosphere would have surely been present at the training ground this week, as players and staff rack their brains regarding their futures in Manchester.

There will be no rapid decision regarding the accusations, but City could be hit with unprecedented sanctions if found guilty – from points deductions and fines to expulsion from the league – and Guardiola will no doubt be dreading the questions coming his way as City aim to avoid falling further behind Arsenal at the summit. The reigning champions could not take advantage of the Gunners’ slip-up at Everton last time out, as their Tottenham Hotspur Stadium hoodoo continued courtesy of Harry Kane’s record-breaking 267th Lilywhites goal, leaving them five points behind Mikel Arteta’s side having played a game more.

The gap at the top will increase to eight points should Arsenal put Brentford to the sword today, so extending their winning run at the Etihad to five games in all competitions is of paramount importance to City, whose fans are in desperate need of something to cheer.

Unai Emery’s time at Arsenal was not a congenial affair, but the ex-Gunners boss can give his former club another major helping hand in the title fight by taking advantage of the Citizens’ predicament this weekend.

The Spaniard’s positive impact has been well and truly felt in the West Midlands since taking the reins from Steven Gerrard, but his luck ran out when Leicester City came to town, inflicting an unexpected defeat on the Lions in a six-goal thriller.

Ollie Watkins and a Harry Souttar own goal put Villa ahead twice in the game, but James Maddison, Kelechi Iheanacho, Tete and Dennis Praet all breached the Lions’ backline to prevent Emery’s 11th-placed side from usurping Chelsea and Liverpool into the top half.

Aston Villa can proudly boast a three-game winning run in Premier League away matches – seeing off Brighton & Hove Albion, Tottenham and Southampton in that hot streak – but not since 2009 have the visitors collected more successive victories on the road.

Gerrard was so close to winning the Premier League title for Liverpool at the Etihad last term, but Man City produced a sensational comeback on the final day of the season to triumph 3-2, although they missed their shot at a 10th consecutive success against Villa earlier this season in a 1-1 stalemate.