Arsenal 2-1 Brentford – Premier League: Live score, team news and updates as Kai Havertz heads the Gunners back in front after Declan Rice’s opener was cancelled out by Yoane Wissa

Well, it certainly isn’t a bad position to be in.

Arsenal’s class eventually told, but Brentford will no doubt feel stung (oh God) that they weren’t able to cling on to the feisty draw. They threw themselves into some impressive defending, and had Arsenal extremely wound-up for large swathes of the second-half.

But with the final whistle, Brentford remain just five points away from the drop.

The Emirates erupts, but there will be no man, woman, or child, more elated and relieved than one Aaron Christopher Ramsdale.

Arsenal win a freekick inside their own half but it’s enough for backslapping between the players, on the cusp of an important win.

That being said, Arsenal might have thought today’s fixture would have been a little easier than it turned out to be.

Odegaard takes his time trotting off the pitch as he’s swapped for Partey.

The referee points at his watch, but there’s no late penalty for the captain.

A lengthy VAR confirms that Arsenal will not have a penalty after Lewis-Potter was thought to have pulled down Gabriel on the run.

The Gunners can’t add to their tally from the spot, but at the moment, they’re going top of the Premier League regardless.

At the other end of the pitch, Ramsdale celebrates wildly. As strong as he’s been in this second-half, he owes Havertz big time.

Brentford make a change ahead of seven minutes of extra-time. Ghoddos comes on for Janelt.

Havertz was the late man against Brentford in the reverse fixture, and he’s done it again here!

He’s ideally poised for White’s cross from the right, and his role in breaking the deadlock makes him look well worth the £65m the side paid for him over the summer.

It’s been a long, long, long time coming, but Arsenal have finally made good on their threat.

‘Come on Arsenal’, their fans implore, as White passes right to Saka on the edge of the box, before heading off around the area to try and bullet the ball in.

All of Brentford are back defending. A point is a point, but a point at the Emirates against Arteta’s in-form side really would be a point worth winning.

Arsenal win yet another corner, their attacking intent no less forceful, but Brentford are doing so well to keep them frustrated.

Saka sends in the ball, straight to Lewis-Potter, and Brentford are quick to get up the pitch, irritated when they’re pulled up just as quickly.

Next, some changes for the visitors: Maupay and Yarmolyuk on, Wissa and Onyeka off.

For Arsenal, Zinchenko and Nelson come on for Kiwior and Trossard.

The ball springs out to the midfielder at the top of the box, and he sends in a clean-as-you-like effort that pings off the top right corner.

Before that, I should say that Jorginho has been swapped for Jesus, in a positive change for Arteta’s side.

In other adminstrative news, Wissa gets a yellow card for trying to catch Ramsdale off guard again, with none of the same success.

A brilliant save from Ramsdale, after Brentford come achingly close to going ahead after Collins’ targeted header. Ramsdale fingertips the ball over the bar, setting up a Brentford corner.

Jensen sends the corner in, which Arsenal defend nicely, but the visitors keep hold of the ball, winning a throw, which they take… at their own pace… but to the whistles and jeers from the Emirates faithful.

Flekken boots the ball out of play and is roundly booed by the home fans, but it seems he’s calling attention to Jorgensen, prone on the turf.

This might be a moment for both sides to make changes – but the Brentford defender carries on for now.

Havertz goes down in the penalty area but the first team to the referee are from west London, wanting the former Chelsea man’s head for simulation, perhaps. He’s caught by Collins, but VAR says no penalty, and no dive.

Any foray into the Arsenal half is all too brief for Brentford, and the home side flood forward yet again, with Havertz leading the pack.

After Flekken stops Odegaard’s latest effort, Arsenal are up in arms after claiming that Roerslev held back Trossard in the box.

VAR makes the check… but Brentford are off the hook. It was a tug, to be sure, but not enough for him to be penalised for it, apparently.

Kiwior sends in a lethal cross level with the six-yard box which is well-defended out for a corner, but in the melee beforehand, Gabriel goes down at the far post, and there’s a little exchange of views between the Brazil international and a group of Brentford players.

Their next corner comes perilously close to crossing the goal-line, but Flekken makes a dramatic late stop to deny the hosts. The Emirates is aflame, with the home fans urging their team to finally put the long-awaited goal away. But Brentford stand firm, and after defending a raft of corners, are finally out of danger.

This one is defended well by Ajaer, so well that he gets dropped by Gabriel, who stamps on his foot. Freekick for Brentford, which Flekken takes.

Picking up the ball just inside Arsenal’s half, Toney has an excellent long-range effort from 35 yards out that Ramsdale is late to palm away… if that had gone in, Ramsdale might have had to go into the witness protection programme. Audacious from the transfer target!

White gets a caution for getting too close to Flekken awaiting Rice’s corner, but when it’s finally lofted in, it strikes a Brentford man.

Odegaard feasts on the remains when the ball bounces out, however, sending a promising diagonal to Gabriel at the dead-ball line. He’s first to it, but his pass into the six-yard box is blocked for another corner.

Reset after a spot of coffeehousing between the players in the area, the final result is… another corner after some last ditch defending from Brentford. Great pressure from the hosts.

Wissa charges forward to the edge of the Arsenal box and thumps the ball into a pack of defenders, winning the visitors a corner.

Ramsdale springs onto the corner looking to make up quickly, but his sprayed punch lands with Janelt. The Brentford man deals with the ball sloppily, however, and he gets to punt the ball up the pitch, focus sliding off him.

Arsenal are back on the ball, and bothering in the Brentford half. Saka dances to the edge of the box from the right before finding Odegaard, and running into the area.

He’s ready for Trossard’s cross, but his final effort is on the wilder side, and the ball sidesteps goal for a Flekken kick.

The hosts getting us underway now for what should be an intriguing 45 minutes. Let’s go!

I’m devastated for him. How he must feel right now only he can tell us, because when you’re in that position as a player and you’ve given away a goal, it’s so difficult. You can see he goes to his knees.

He’s got to show some real character in the second half. It’s great all his team-mates are coming round but it’s the last thing you want, a cuddle after that.

You have to feel for Ramsdale. He will need to come out for the second-half of all second-halfs.

He’ll just want the ground to open up. He’s hardly had anything to do, Ramsdale. He must know Wissa is closing him down, he can see him. But he just takes that extra step to give the forward a chance to get near, to lunge in.

Just too slow. What a gift. We said that it’s probably Brentford’s biggest chance, complacency, lack of concentration, and that’s what happened. Complete nightmare for him

Consider my half-time notes torn up. Arteta will be extremely frustrated not to have added more to his tally while Arsenal were firmly on top.

Now, there’s the Ramsdale of it all to consider, with a tough 45 minutes of psychological pressure ahead, and a buoyant opposition who have plucked an equaliser out of very little indeed.

He heads into the dressing room to crows of ‘you’re just a s*** David Raya’ from the visiting fans. Because of course he does.

A worse turn of events for the England international you could not fathom. After a half spent mostly twiddling his thumbs, he’s too ponderous with White’s pass back and Wissa pounces, knocking him off the ball as he kicks it long and powering it into the net!

There’ll be three minutes of time added, but play comes to a halt again after Wissa falls victim to a nasty clash scrapping for the ball and waits for on-pitch medical support.

Luckily, it’s not long before he’s back on his feet. Unluckily, Ajer falls to the ground after being caught by Havertz, who picks up a yellow card for his reckless leap.

Another ‘almost’ from Havertz, who sends a rocket well over the goal and into Row Z in the centre of the box after yet another threatening Arsenal passage of play.

The Germany international stays in the penalty area as Odegaard looks to set him up as Arsenal come again, but Brentford defend the ball out messily, and he get a touch.

And he has a timely banner report for us.

In the spirit of things, Trossard has a go from range, five yards off the D, but Flekken calmly slides to his left to stop the attempt.

Brentford won’t want a lorry load of additional time, as things stand.

Saka has a slightly wild attempt with his right foot from just inside the box, but he’s under immense pressure and seems off balance when he releases his shot to fly over Flekken’s goal at the near post.

A second goal does feel closer and closer, however, with Arsenal racking up the shots – and no pay-off yet.

A killer miss from Havertz! But his blushes are spared by the offside flag.

What’s miraculous about the attempt is Jorginho’s sliding diagonal pass to the running Germany, whose eventual strike is a little late and angled to skirt the ‘keeper and the goal.

Norgaard gets back on his feet, but Brentford are readying a substitute as play contines.

On the pitch, the state of affairs continues, with Havertz again looking dangerous as Jorginho chips a good-looking cross towards him – only to see the effort blocked by quick-thinking defenders.

Here comes the forced change: Norgaard comes off in exchange for Jensen. There goes Frank’s initial game plan.

Norgaard goes down in a tangle and stays there – there’s a break in play as physios make their way onto the pitch.

Earlier, a brief Brentford foray into the Arsenal penalty say Toney and Wissa combine well on the run, but their threat was quickly extinguished by Arsenal’s matchless defence.

Making it look easier – it isn’t.

Rice wafts in another strong corner, but a twisting Gabriel can only fire the ball way up over the crossbar and into the stands.

A long goal kick from Flekken sends the ball deep into the Arsenal half, but Brentford are looking pretty powerless as things stand. Full momentum is with the hosts.

Havertz checks Flekken is away with a lightly struck header that the ‘keeper palms, but it’s not long before the ball is back amongst the Arsenal shirts, as Arteta’s side tries again.

Saka on the right in the box sends a whippy cross to Odegaard on the other side of the six-yard box, but it’s knocked out for a corner.

At the time of writing, Arsenal had only just moved out from a potential penalty shout after Odegaard was turned over in the box, but cries for VAR quietened in light of Rice’s brilliant header.

Arsenal are in cruise control now, and once they get ahead, it can be very, very hard to stop them.

Arsenal have been in residence in Brentford’s half for some time, and pressure finally tells, thanks to a poised Declan Rice header.

He’s in prime position in the box for White’s straightforward cross, and Brentford seem frozen in position as the midfielder dips to push the ball past Flekken.

Brentford win a corner, and Janelt steps up to take the righthanded effort. The ball springs nicely for Toney to get under and head towards Ramsdale, but he catches it and quickly spurs a lightning quick Arsenal attack.

Trossard picks up the long overarm throw and steams up the pitch, trailed by doughty Brentford defenders, and it’s only Roerselv’s bullish pace that stops the Belgian defender from an excellent attempt on Flekken’s goal.

Lewis-Potter wafts the ball over scrapping Arsenal defenders to find the feet of Toney inside the box. He’s immediately set upon by Gabriel and Saliba, and has to fire the ball away under pressure, only for a team-mate to be caught offside.

But it’s bright from Brentford, amid the wash of Arsenal dominance.

Gabriel tugs down Wissa, just to the right of the Arsenal penalty area, and he hits the turf like a ton of bricks for a freekick. Gabriel’s complaints give him a yellow card for his troubles, and Brentford have the chance to overturn the run of play.

Lewis-Potter prepares to send the ball into the box as Toney and Havertz squabble in the build-up, but the midfielder’s effort ultimately flies out of play without troubling either attack or defence.

Arsenal have a comfortable grip on the opening five minutes, with Kiwior ushering the ball into the Brentford half before handing off to White on the right.

Havertz plays to former Chelsea team-mate Jorginho on the edge of the box, but he’s pushed back by a Brentford defender thumping the ball back up the pitch.

It’s a fast start for Brentford in terms of a speedy yellow card for Onyeka – entirely justified after he hacks down Trossard on the run out of Arsenal’s half looking for a quick counter-attack.

Southgate is in the building for Ramsdale’s lone 2024 start.

Arsenal like a fast start more than most, and they win an early corner after buzzing around the Brentford six-yard box in an attempt to scare the visitors in the opening minutes.

Rice’s kick flies in with an artful curve and Kiwior leaps to head it in, but it skirts just past the open mouth of goal and out for a goal kick.

After late shouted encouragements from both teams and the strains of ‘North London Forever’, it’s go-time in north London, and the visitors kick us off.

Can they pull off something special on the road today?

And yet it is a faintly shocking 86 years since Brentford were able to beat Arsenal behind enemy lines.

That would be quite the stat to trumpet if they do manage to bloody the title-contenders’ noses today.

If you’re trying to get in his head, what is he thinking, there will be an element of nerves. Even when he played in the cup games earlier in the season, I fully understand that because he was the number one last year, he’s come in to a difficult situation now where the normal number one can’t play.

You’d be thinking: ‘Just no mistakes. Just keep calm, make sure you play your normal game, don’t try to do anything else, don’t try to become David Raya’ – who you’d probably have to say is better on the ball than he is. Just do what you do well.

Last season he was fantastic. It’s been a hard season but you have to learn sometimes. He’ll only get stronger for what has happened to him this season.

He looked excited, he’s been waiting for an opportunity.

Like any other player, they all want to play, and when he has the chance to play, we are lucky to have him.

How do you beat Arsenal?, they ask.

Good question, lets see! Hopefully after the game we will have been able to do it. There’s no doubt this is an unbelievably tough game about an in form team.

But every game has got his own story, and hopefully this is a different story.

We know if we hit (our game plan) we are difficult to play against.

Monday’s win against Sheffield United was cold, ruthless, and emphatic. The performance of champions in waiting?

Mail Sport’s IAN LADYMAN has a hunch. Read more below.

Thomas Frank’s side are winless since early February, and are badly in need of a statement win not only to shake them out of their langour, but to firm up their gap from the relegation zone.

In 15th and on 26 points, Brentford are just five points above the drop. Yes, Everton and Forest may yet be penalised and really get stuck in to the relegation fight, but the Bees need to turn their form around sharpish if they don’t want an end-of-season scrap.

Hunting that win against the title-challengers could be an exercise in optimism, however.

Arsenal will go top of the league with a home win this evening, and can enjoy a Sunday spending either Liverpool or Manchester City drop points in some form as they go to war against one another.

But with the closest race for some time, how carefully must the Gunners tread to stay in the hunt? And do some rivals have an easier task than others?

Find Mail Sport’s lowdown on the remaining 11 games of the season here.

An intriguing – perhaps not to be taken too seriously – stat here suggesting that the late afternoon-early evening isn’t Arsenal’s sweet spot.

Is it the shadows? The sun setting? Are the players’ minds already on their Saturday night plans? It could be that we never find out the reason for this particular pecadillo. But it seems that Brentford are the outlier opposition. Will that still prove true at approximately 7.30pm?

Unecumbered by the light fog of irony wafting around his comments, Arteta has implored Southgate to stick with Ramsdale ahead of this summer’s European championship.

Performances in the English top flight, however scant, will sway the England head coach – ahead of tonight’s performance, you can read through Arteta’s pre-match comments below.

Raya is bound by his loan and won’t be able to start against his parent club Brentford, which means Ramsdale gets his first Premier League appearance since… Arsenal’s last run-out against Brentford.

One more change makes it two for the hosts with Martinelli out of action after cutting his foot against Sheffield United on Monday – he’s swapped for Trossard.

Brentford faced Toney’s other suitors Chelsea last and had to settle for a 2-2 draw: they make one change, with Reguilon exchanged for Lewis-Potter.

‘Coy’ could well be Arteta’s middle name at this rate, so keen is the Spaniard to inject a little mystery into team injuries, say, or his decision-making over goalkeepers.

As such, he’s reticent on the subject of Toney – and Mail Sport’s ISAAN KHAN has the full story.

After picking up an apparent knack during Brentford’s last run-out, Frank brushed away concern that Toney wouldn’t be able to start today.

That means Toney’s most ardent suitors will get to take a good look at him upon his return from serving his sanction.

For his part, the striker has appeared to favour Arsenal – courtesy of internet sleuths unearthing a few promising liked social media posts – and might be keen to impress after scoring at the Emirates during last season’s 1-1 draw.

Brentford had thought they’d gotten away with it when Arsenal visited the G-Tech Community Stadium last year, until Kai Havertz turned up in the 89th minute and thoroughly spoiled the party.

But Brentford have only been defeated by a solitary goal in both of their appointments with the Gunners this season – after an early Carabao Cup meeting ended in similar fashion – and were without Toney during the reverse fixture.

You can relive events with Mail Sport’s KIERAN GILL’s report below.

MIkel Arteta’s side have been rock-solid at the back this season, and have the stats to show for it.

For a Brentford team that has won just three games on the road this Premier League campaign, it likely makes sobering reading.

It was hard to go an hour without hearing the words ‘Ivan Toney’ and ‘Arsenal’ during the January transfer window, but when the dust settles at the end of the season, will the Gunners be as fiercely interested in tempting the striker northwards?

Chris Sutton is reflecting on how well they are doing without a rip-roaring No 9, and he shared his thoughts on Mail Sport’s It’s All Kicking Off podcast this week.

Hello and welcome to Mail Sport’s live coverage of the final Premier League tie of an action-packed Saturday, the Ivan Toney derby – I mean Arsenal versus Brentford.

But attention will no doubt focus in on the Bees striker, who has long been one of Arsenal’s long-range transfer targets ahead of the summer window. After serving his eight-month ban, this will be the first time he goes up against his suitors this season.

Kick-off is at 5.30pm, but until then, we’ll bring you all the team news and build-up.