Arsenal 2-0 Brentford: Post-match review, Stats, Key moments

Dive into Ladbrokes’ post-match review of Arsenal 2-0 Brentford in the Premier League on Wednesday, 03 December 2025, with stats, key moments and our take on the match.

Arsenal secured a 2-0 victory over Brentford at home. The Gunners took an early lead when Mikel Merino scored in the 11th minute, assisted by Ben White, setting a dominant tone from the outset. Arsenal maintained control but had to make an early change at 44 minutes when Jurriën Timber replaced Cristhian Mosquera, while Brentford struggled to respond before the break.

In the second half, Brentford made several substitutions around the hour mark, with Igor Thiago coming on for Kevin Schade at 60 minutes, followed by Mikkel Damsgaard for Mathias Jensen and Jordan Henderson for Vitaly Janelt at 61 minutes, but Arsenal responded by bringing on Bukayo Saka for Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze for Gabriel Martinelli at the same time. Yegor Yarmolyuk picked up Brentford’s only yellow card at 65 minutes, and later substitutions saw Nathan Collins replace Ethan Pinnock and Keane Lewis-Potter come on for Rico Henry at 74 minutes, while Arsenal swapped Viktor Gyökeres for Declan Rice at 83 minutes. The match was sealed in stoppage time with Bukayo Saka’s goal at 90+1 minutes, assisted by Mikel Merino, building on Arsenal’s strong recent form that includes wins over Tottenham Hotspur and Burnley, contrasting Brentford’s mixed results with losses to Brighton & Hove Albion and Crystal Palace.

Arsenal’s 62% possession underlined their control of the game, allowing them to dictate the pace while Brentford, with 38%, focused on counter-attacks but couldn’t convert their eight corners into meaningful threats compared to Arsenal’s four. The home side’s 38 successful dribbles highlighted their attacking flair, outpacing Brentford’s 27, and with two assists recorded, Arsenal created the decisive moments without conceding any. Brentford picked up the only yellow card of the match, and both teams used most of their substitutions—Arsenal with four changes and Brentford with five—to try shifting momentum, but no red cards, penalties, or injury-time goals beyond Saka’s late strike altered the flow.

The game’s opening goal came early at 11 minutes when Mikel Merino found the net for Arsenal, assisted by Ben White, giving the hosts a platform to build on. Substitutions played a role in the second half, with Arsenal bringing on Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze at 61 minutes to replace Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli, injecting fresh energy that paid off late. The decisive moment arrived in added time at 90+1 minutes as Bukayo Saka scored, assisted by Mikel Merino, while Brentford’s yellow card to Yegor Yarmolyuk at 65 minutes summed up their frustrations without turning the tide.

Arsenal lined up in a 4-3-3 formation, with Mikel Merino anchoring the midfield and providing both a goal and an assist, while Bukayo Saka made an impact after coming on as a substitute to score the second. Ben White contributed with an assist, and partnerships like those involving Declan Rice before his substitution helped maintain control. Viktor Gyökeres and Eberechi Eze added options from the bench to support the attacking line.

Brentford set up in a 5-3-2 shape, relying on defensive solidity from players like Ethan Pinnock before his substitution, but they couldn’t break through Arsenal’s backline. Yegor Yarmolyuk’s yellow card highlighted midfield battles, and changes like Jordan Henderson coming on for Vitaly Janelt aimed to steady the ship. Igor Thiago and Keane Lewis-Potter were brought on to push forward, but the setup limited their attacking partnerships.

Mikel Merino earned Ladbrokes’ Man of the Match award for his all-round display, scoring one goal and providing one assist to guide Arsenal to victory. His movement and two key passes were crucial in breaking down Brentford’s defence. Merino helped his team out across the pitch combining defensive work with decisive attacking contributions.

Recent Premier League matches:

• Win: 2-0 vs Brentford (H)
• Draw: 1-1 vs Chelsea (A)
• Win: 4-1 vs Tottenham Hotspur (H)
• Draw: 2-2 vs Sunderland (A)
• Win: 2-0 vs Burnley (A)

Recent Premier League matches:

• Loss: 0-2 vs Arsenal (A)
• Win: 3-1 vs Burnley (H)
• Loss: 1-2 vs Brighton & Hove Albion (A)
• Win: 3-1 vs Newcastle United (H)
• Loss: 0-2 vs Crystal Palace (A)

Arsenal have just beaten Brentford 2-0, maintaining their position at the top of the table with 33 points after a run that includes a draw with Chelsea and wins over Tottenham Hotspur and Burnley. They now face Aston Villa on 2025-12-06 at 12:30, with the visitors sitting third on 27 points, making this a key clash to extend their lead and keep the pressure on title rivals.

Brentford have just lost 2-0 to Arsenal, leaving them 13th on 19 points following a patchy spell with a win over Burnley but defeats to Brighton & Hove Albion and Crystal Palace. Their next test is against Tottenham Hotspur on 2025-12-06 at 15:00, with Spurs level on 19 points in 11th, offering a chance to climb the mid-table and build some momentum.

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Odds and market details are accurate as of the time of publication.