Prediction: Arsenal vs Brentford

Verdict: Draw

Best odds: 3/1

Bookmaker: Olympusbet

Still likely basking in the glow of their stunning Champions League success, Arsenal shift focus back to the Premier League on Saturday evening as they welcome Brentford for a London derby.

Mikel Arteta’s side are riding high after a remarkable 3-0 win over Real Madrid in Europe, while the visitors come into this one following a far less eventful 0-0 draw against local rivals Chelsea.

Arsenal

In the span of just 12 minutes, Arsenal midfield engine Declan Rice netted two direct free kicks – more than Kylian Mbappe has managed in his entire senior career – as the Frenchman and the rest of Real Madrid’s squad were handed a humbling lesson in North London.

Breaking an Arsenal free-kick scoring drought that had stretched beyond three years, Rice delivered two stunning set-piece goals – becoming the first player to score multiple free kicks in a Champions League knockout match – before stand-in striker Mikel Merino sent the Emirates into raptures with a third.

Were it not for the heroics of Thibaut Courtois, Arsenal could have inflicted even more damage on the 15-time European champions—as Jude Bellingham himself admitted post-match – but as fans of Manchester City and Chelsea can attest, Champions League nights at the Bernabeu are rarely predictable.

Before facing the daunting task of preventing a Real Madrid comeback, Arsenal aim to keep their slim Premier League and Champions League double hopes alive, having slightly narrowed the gap to Liverpool last weekend when their 1-1 draw at Everton was followed by the Reds’ shock 3-2 loss to Fulham.

Still, a gap of 11 points with only seven games to go seems a tall order for Arsenal to bridge – and Arteta’s lineup at Goodison Park hinted at a shift in priorities—but with a 10-point cushion over sixth-placed Manchester City, the Gunners appear well on course to secure a Champions League return.

Team News

That memorable 3-0 win over Real Madrid came with a minor price, as free-kick star Rice and the elusive Bukayo Saka—who earned both set-pieces on his first start of 2025 – were taken off late on with slight injuries.

While there’s no major worry about their availability for the return leg in Madrid, Arteta may opt to rest the influential pair, giving chances to Ethan Nwaneri and Jorginho.

Ben White, Leandro Trossard, Kieran Tierney, and Raheem Sterling, back after a European suspension, could all be in line for starts, but Arsenal remain without Kai Havertz (hamstring), Gabriel Magalhaes (hamstring), Riccardo Calafiori (knee), Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee), and Gabriel Jesus (knee).

Brentford

Saturday’s derby result may feel largely inconsequential to many Arsenal fans, with hopes of a major domestic triumph having faded weeks ago. Similarly, Brentford enter the clash with little riding on it, sitting comfortably in mid-table without any real threat or opportunity at either end.

Inconsistent form has cost Thomas Frank’s men a serious shot at the top seven this term, and they’ve managed just one victory in their last five Premier League outings, including last weekend’s respectable draw against local rivals Chelsea.

Despite Mark Flekken making a series of key saves, Brentford nearly snatched a late win through Sepp van den Berg, only for the Dutchman to misdirect his close-range header, extending the Bees’ frustrating home winless streak to nine matches.

Following their first away defeat in seven – suffered at the hands of Newcastle United on April 2 – Brentford have dropped to 12th in the table, nine points shy of seventh-placed Aston Villa but only three points off a spot in the top half.

However, Brentford haven’t claimed a win at Arsenal since a 1938 victory at Highbury, and the Gunners’ 3-1 triumph at the Gtech Community Stadium on New Year’s Day stretched their unbeaten run against Frank’s side to seven games, dating back to the Bees’ memorable Premier League debut win in August 2021.

Thomas Frank was boosted by the return of Rico Henry to the matchday squad against Chelsea after his lengthy hamstring layoff, reducing the number of unavailable players to five.

Fabio Carvalho (shoulder), Igor Thiago (knee), and former Arsenal man Josh Dasilva (knee) are still out, while Gustavo Nunes and Aaron Hickey – both working on regaining full fitness – could soon be in contention for minutes.

With no new injury issues after the Chelsea draw, Brentford are expected to stick with 10 of the 11 starters from that match, with Yehor Yarmoliuk likely to make way for the more defensively-oriented Vitaly Janelt.

Conclusion

It feels incredibly strange to say this, but Arsenal are now likely to face a sterner challenge against Brentford than they did against Real Madrid, with Arteta expected to rotate heavily ahead of the second leg against the Spanish giants.

Frank’s men are well-equipped to sit deep, frustrate the hosts, and strike on the counter through the speed and flair of Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa. Some of Arsenal players with not much game-time will surely seek to impress and hope for a place in the team in Madrid, but Brentford will be looking to take advantage of the situation and snatch something from the game.

Verdict: Draw

Best odds: 3/1

Bookmaker: Olympusbet