SOCCER: Arsenal miss chance to go six points clear with draw at Brentford

LONDON – Arsenal missed the chance to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League, settling for a 1-1 draw against Brentford on Thursday. Noni Madueke’s second-half header gave the Gunners the lead, but Keane Lewis-Potter’s brilliant response ensured the hosts shared the spoils.

Brentford dominated the first half but could not capitalize on Arsenal’s shaky start. Goalkeeper David Raya made a sharp save to deny Igor Thiago from giving the visitors an early advantage.

Arsenal finally broke the deadlock in the 61st minute. Madueke rose above Rico Henry to meet Piero Hincapie’s cross, nodding the ball across goal and into the net. Brentford responded quickly, however, with Michael Kayode’s long throw reaching the back post, where Lewis-Potter powered a header into the top corner just 10 minutes later.

The draw was a fair reflection of the match. Arsenal now have 57 points from 26 games, four ahead of second-placed Manchester City, while Brentford sit seventh with 40 points, just four behind fifth-placed Chelsea and still on course for a historic European qualification.

Brentford coach Keith Andrew said, “I’m not going to speak about that. There are 12 games left, but I promise we are going to attack every single one of them to see how much we can achieve this year.”

Gunners Recover After Nervy Start

Arsenal had been coming off a mixed run of results, with two points from three games, but back-to-back league wins had kept them in control. Still, Manchester City’s 3-0 win over Fulham on Wednesday increased the pressure.

The Gunners began nervously without defender William Saliba. Gabriel conceded a corner unnecessarily, and Raya nearly allowed a backpass to slip past him. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta handed Eberechi Eze his first league start of 2026, but the England forward struggled and was substituted at halftime for captain Martin Odegaard.

After the break, Arsenal improved. Brentford failed to clear their lines, and Hincapie’s cross found Madueke, who converted past a flat-footed Caoimhin Kelleher. Arsenal could have extended their lead when Declan Rice set up Viktor Gyokeres, but Kayode’s last-ditch tackle denied the goal.

Brentford’s equalizer from Kayode’s throw-in, with Lewis-Potter heading home, shifted momentum in the hosts’ favor. Late chances went begging for Arsenal as Thiago was stopped by Cristhian Mosquera and Kelleher made a one-on-one save against Gabriel Martinelli in a frantic finish.

Having briefly been nine points clear before Manchester City’s comeback win over Liverpool last weekend, Arsenal’s lead is now four points. Arteta insisted his team’s approach would remain unchanged.

“We have to do our job and we are going to have to come to all these places, the same as the rest of the teams, and we know how tough it is,” Arteta told TNT Sports. “You have to be at your best every game and have the luck you need to conquer the three points each week.”

-Reporting by Sam Tobin; Editing by Ed Osmond and Christian Radnedge/Reuters