Bees beaten by Havertz’s late Arsenal winner
Kai Havertz scored a late winner for Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.
A defensively dogged Brentford side made the Gunners work hard for their three points, with Yoane Wissa pouncing on Aaron Ramsdale’s blunder to cancel out Declan Rice’s opener before Havertz restored the hosts’ lead.
Arsenal’s early dominance was rewarded with Declan Rice’s beautifully-placed header after 19 minutes.
The Bees nicked an equaliser deep into first-half stoppage time.
Wissa capitalised Ramsdale’s dallying after the goalkeeper received a back-pass, and the forward blocked his clearance, diverting it into the net.
After receiving a yellow card in the first half, Havertz could be considered lucky to be on the field to score the winner, after the German went unpunished midway through the second half for an apparent dive in the penalty area.
Ben White set up the winner, with an unmarked Havertz heading home the full-back’s cross.
The win meant Arsenal returned to the top of the Premier League, while Brentford remain in 15th, five points clear of the relegation places.
Brentford : Flekken; Zanka (Damsgaard 90), Ajer, Collins, Roerslev; Lewis-Potter, Norgaard (Jensen 34), Janelt (Ghoddos 90), Onyeka (Yarmoliuk 78); Wissa (Maupay 78), Toney.
