Back to Premier League action following a one-week hiatus, Arsenal will be looking to regain top place when they meet fellow London rivals Brentford at the Brentford Community Stadium.
After Manchester City thrashed Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-0, the Gunners need all three points to return to the summit with a win over an in-form Bees side.
Since a 3-2 defeat away to Fulham in late August, Thomas Frank’s men have racked up a three-game unbeaten streak in the Premier League (W1, D2), including a 5-2 thumping of Leeds United last time out.
No strangers to massive upsets, Brentford humbled Manchester United 4-0 on matchday two and will be looking for more of the same against title-bidding Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta’s team had enjoyed a stellar five-game winning start to the new Premier League season before slumping to a 3-1 loss at Man Utd in the previous round.
The extra rest period could have been handy for the Gunners then as they head to west London aiming to defy their embarrassing league record at the Brentford Community Stadium.
While it may sound a bit surprising, Arsenal have suffered five defeats in their six previous league visits to Brentford, suggesting Sunday’s fixture won’t be a walk in the park.
Match Preview
Brentford
Brentford’s bid to claim their first top-half finish in England’s top flight since 1937/38 is not out of the realm of possibility based on their early season performances.
You don’t have to look beyond the fact that only Manchester City (23) and Tottenham Hotspur (18) have netted more Premier League goals than Brentford (15) this term to understand Frank’s lads mean business.
Despite carrying an underdog status into this clash, the Bees will be relieved to know they have only lost one of their last 17 home league London derbies (W13, D3).
Arsenal
Dreaming of their first Premier League title since 2003/04, Arsenal only suffered one blip this season and will be out to make sure it stays that way.
The Gunners can draw confidence from racking up five triumphs in their last eight away London derby matches in England’s top flight (L3), as many as they had in their previous 23 on the road (D9 L9).
But they would be silly to underestimate Brentford on Sunday after finding themselves on the wrong end of a 2-0 scoreline in this corresponding fixture last season.
Brentford vs Arsenal Potential Line-ups
Brentford (4-3-3): David Raya; Aaron Hickey, Pontus Jansson, Ben Mee, Rico Henry; Mathias Jensen, Vitaly Janelt, Josh Dasilva; Bryan Mbeumo, Ivan Toney, Yoane Wissa.
Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Aaron Ramsdale; Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Kieran Tierney; Granit Xhaka, Albert Sambi Lokonga; Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli; Gabriel Jesus.
How to Watch?
Brentford vs Arsenal, alongside all other fixtures in England’s top flight, is available to watch online via Premier League live streams.
Brentford vs Arsenal Prediction
Both sides boast fierce firepower up top and we expect a high-scoring fixture, with Arsenal likely to take home all three points by a slim margin.
Brentford 1-2 Arsenal
