Brentford vs Arsenal LIVE: Injury-hit sides clash on New Year’s Day as Gunners look to put pressure on Liverpool – team news and predicted line-ups

Arsenal take part in the first Premier League game of 2025 as they make the short trip across London to face Brentford.

The Gunners are currently third in the table, nine points behind Liverpool, but they can cut the gap to six with a win here.

Kai Havertz was the difference for Arsenal last time outCredit: Getty

Kai Havertz scored as Arsenal beat Ipswich last time out at the Emirates, though it was far from convincing.

Of course, they are without Bukayo Saka for at least a couple of months after the England winger had hamstring surgery.

But Brentford will be no easy game, given the Bees have lost just once at home all season.

Thomas Frank‘s side have turned the Gtech into a real fortress, and they’ll be relishing this chance.

Brentford vs Arsenal: Predicted line-ups

Brentford

The home side have one of the longest injury lists in the Premier League, with 11 players either out or doubtful.

Mark Flekken was withdrawn during the draw with Brighton, meaning Hakon Valdimarsson is likely to get his first Premier League start.

Mads Roerslev is the only senior right-back available, while Nathan Collins is likely to have a new centre-back partner.

Ben Mee came off in that Brighton match with an unspecified injury, so we could see a first top-flight start for Ji-soo Kim.

At left-back, Keane Lewis-Potter has been filling in and will continue to do so.

Christian Norgaard is the Bees captain, so he’ll be holding down the centre of midfield.

Yehor Yarmoliuk could come back into the side for Vitaly Janelt.

Mikkel Damsgaard has arguably been Brentford’s best player this season, and he will take up the advanced midfield position.

The front three of Bryan Mbeumo, Kevin Schade and Yoane Wissa picks itself.

Brentford will more than likely have to field a makeshift defence

Arsenal

David Raya will be in goal for his return to the Gtech after joining the Gunners permanently last summer from Brentford.

Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu are still injured, so we are probably going to see Jurrien Timber there.

William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes are the established centre-back pairing.

Myles Lewis-Skelly has performed well at left-back, but he should be rested so Riccardo Calafiori has a chance of starting.

In midfield, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard are likely to be joined by Thomas Partey.

This will see Kai Havertz move upfront and Gabriel Jesus drop to the bench.

With Raheem Sterling and Saka injured, Arteta doesn’t have that many attacking options, so expect to see Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard starting on the wings.

Arteta's options are limited in numerous positions — Arteta’s options are limited in numerous positions

Since winning 2-0 against Arsenal in their first ever Premier League game in August 2021, Brentford are winless in their last five against the Gunners (D1 L4).
Arsenal have won their last three away games against Brentford in all competitions without conceding a single goal. They last won four consecutive away games against an opponent while keeping a clean sheet each time against Sunderland between 2003 and 2008.
In a run stretching back to a 1-1 draw at Chelsea in November, this is Arsenal’s ninth consecutive league game to be played in London (5 home, 4 away). It’s the Gunners’ longest such run of league games exclusively in the capital in their league history.

Santi Cazorla says Arsenal can beat Liverpool to the Premier League title!

Brentford vs Arsenal: What has been said?

Despite losing Saka, Arsenal are still well in the title race and Mikel Arteta is pleased with hos his team are performing.

Speaking after the Ipswich win, he said: “We have, in my opinion, dropped some points that we deserved to have on the board. Overall, with everything that we have been through in the first six months of the season, I think the team is in a good position.

“I’m really happy, really happy to win the game, with big parts of the performance of the team [especially] with the clean sheet. It’s so tough to win in this festive period, a lot of games, a lot of distractions and the team performed, and deserved to win the game again.

“The spaces are so tight when you see the stats and what we produced in the first half, the team is trying everything that it can and we don’t give anything away, no shots, nothing at all, which is remarkable. There are always things to improve, to do better but overall the team was very solid.

“With the level in this league, you know what’s coming. They start to throw everybody forward, very direct, you concede one or two set-pieces and you’re going to defend deep.

“We’ve done it, without again conceding a shot, so it’s more the suffering and the fact that you want to close the game, than actually what they generated.”

Arsenal are still in contention for the titleCredit: Getty

Brentford have won their first league game in each of the last five calendar years. They’re also unbeaten in their last six played on New Year’s Day (W4 D2) since a 2-0 loss at Swansea in 2007.
Arsenal have only lost their first league game in one of the last nine calendar years (W6 D2), going down 2-1 at home to Man City on New Year’s Day 2022.
Arsenal remained unbeaten in all 10 of their Premier League London derby matches in 2024 (W8 D2). They scored 5+ goals in five of those 10 matches, as many times as they had in their previous 117 such games.