Brentford FC has slowly climbed its way up to the top tier. The Bees, as the team is popularly known, entered the English Premier League in 2021, finishing 13th on their debut. This was followed by a 9th-place finish in the 2022-23 season, before slipping to 16th in 2023-24.
On the other hand, Arsenal has finished in the top five in the last three seasons.
With the current season of the Premier League well underway, Brentford and Arsenal have played 18 matches. According to the current standings (accurate to the time of publishing), Arsenal is in the third position with 36 points, while Brentford is 12th with 24 points.
They face each other on Wednesday, 1st January. Will the Gunners, as team Arsenal is popularly known, be able to blaze through yet another match? Or will the Bees pull a surprise win? Below, we give you team previews, head-to-head stats, and odds for the Premier League – Brentford vs Arsenal match.
Key Details
- Day and Date: Wednesday, 1 January, 2024
- Time: 5:30 PM (UK time)
- Venue: Gtech Community Stadium, Brentford
- Where to watch in the UK: Sky Sports
Brentford: Team Analysis and Preview
This is the Bees’ first entry into the Premier League in 74 years, and their biggest achievement in the last 10 years.
They will be looking for a home victory after racking up three losses, one win, and a draw in their last five games. They were strongly placed in the 7th position in November but started slipping after that.
Coach Thomas Frank Is known for his tactical coach and getting the ball in the opposition box as early as possible. He often sets his team in a 1-3-2-5 formation in the build-up – three in the back, two midfielders, and five leading the charge. They frequently change positions to 1-4-3-3 as the game progresses to confuse the opposition.
However, their striking capacity is just not the same after stark striker Ivan Toney left for Saudi Pro club Al Ahli. Moreover, his replacement, Igor Thiago suffered a knee injury at the start of the season and missed several games. The Brazilian striker who received £27 million for the move, has been injured yet again and will be missing till January.
Goalkeeper Mark Flekken, who managed to stop 32 goals in 18 matches is suffering from a groin injury and is doubtful for the Arsenal match. Defenders Ethan Pinnock, Kristoffer Ajer, and Ben Mee will also be sitting out due to injuries.
Arsenal: Analysis and Team Preview
The Gunners are in a strong position to be the Premier League title contenders. They are currently third on the League table with 36 points — just one point short of second-position team Nottingham Forest. It’s a surprise for fans to see Nottingham Forest as the contender, as it finished 17th last season, barely avoiding relegation. However, Arsenal has a tiny advantage, as it has played 18 games while Forest has played 19. So, if they manage to win against the Bees on Wednesday, the Gunners will seal the second place.
Arsenal has been finishing in the top 5, but the last time it took the cup home was in the 2003–04 season.
So far, they have played 18 games, winning 10, losing 5, and drawing 5 matches.
Arsenal had a long list of exits this season. Defender Emile Smith Rowe shifted to Fulham, Midfielder Mohamed Elneny signed with Al Jazira, forward Eddie Nketiah is now playing for Crystal Palace, and goalie Aaron Ramsdale has joined Southampton.
Goalie David Raya, who signed a permanent deal with Arsenal after a loan spell with Brentford ended, has proved useful this season. He has saved 16 goals in all 18 matches.
Strikers Bukayo Saka (5 goals, 10 assists) and Raheem Sterling (1 assist) will be missing from the squad this entire January due to injuries.
Brentford and Arsenal: Recent Results
Brentford
- Draw with Brighton 0–0 (28 December)
- Lost to Nottingham Forest 0–2 (21 December)
- Lost to Newcastle 1–3 (19 December, EFL Cup qf)
- Lost to Chelsea 1–2 (16 December)
- Won against Newcastle 4–2 (7 December)
Arsenal
- Won against Ipswich Town 1–0 (28 December)
- Won against Crystal Palace 5–1 (21 December)
- Won against Crystal Palace 3–2 (19 December, EFL Cup qf)
- Draw with Everton 0–0 (14 December)
- Won against Monaco 3–0 (12 December, UEFA Champions League)
Premier League Season Highlights
| Brentford | Stats | Arsenal |
| 12 | League position | 3 |
| 7 | Matches Won | 10 |
| 3 | Drawn | 6 |
| 8 | Lost | 2 |
| 24 | Total points | 36 |
| 32 | Goals scored | 35 |
| 32 | Goals conceded | 16 |
| 0 | Goal difference | 19 |
| 139 | Shots | 181 |
| 81.08% | Passing accuracy | 86.54% |
Brentford vs Arsenal: Recent Head-to-Head Meetings
| Date | Result |
| 9/03/24 | Brentford 1–2 Arsenal |
| 25/11/23 | Brentford 0–1 Arsenal |
| 28/09/23 | Brentford 0–1 Arsenal |
| 11/02/23 | Brentford 1–1 Arsenal |
| 18/09/22 | Brentford 0–3 Arsenal |
Both teams have faced each other 18 times. Arsenal has won 8 matches, Brentford has won 6, and 4 matches have ended in a draw. While, historically, Arsenal has maintained the upper hand, Brentford is also a strong team – so punters should be prepared for a close match.
Statistical Insights
- Arsenal is averaging 1.94 goals per game this season
- Brentford is maintaining a 1.78 goals-per-match average
- Brentford has kept 2 clean sheets this season, while Arsenal has kept 7.
Brentford vs Arsenal: Odds as per 7bet
| Brentford (1) | x | Arsenal (2) |
| 16/3 | 4/1 | 4/9 |
Please note that the odds are accurate as per the publishing time of the article. Make sure to check the latest odds before placing a bet.
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For more information about betting on this fixture, visit the 7bet Premier League betting page.
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