3 threats Brentford will pose when they visit the Emirates on Saturday

This is a fixture that Mikel Arteta would not have wanted to arrive now. His Arsenal side must bounce back, but Brentford have emerged as the kryptonite of the Premier League’s ‘Big Six’.

Thomas Frank’s Bees have laughed in the face of second-season syndrome to emerge as the division’s most in-form outfit at just over the halfway point in the 2022/23 campaign. No side has accumulated more points in their last six outings than Brentford (14).

The last time they tasted defeat in the top flight was way back in October. Since then, they’ve beaten Manchester City at the Etihad and Liverpool in west London. They’re giant killers to be reckoned with, and they’ll be hoping to add another scalp to their arsenal this weekend.

The Gunners purred in the reverse fixture, claiming a mightily impressive 3-0 victory and they need to produce a similar performance on Saturday if they’re to prevent the Bees from stinging once again.

3 threats Brentford will pose when they visit the Emirates on Saturday

Here are three threats Arsenal must be wary of when they take on the red-hot Brentford this weekend.

1. Third man runs from midfield

Ivan Toney is the fulcrum of this Brentford side. He leads the way with 13 goals this season – the third-most in the division – but Arsenal have much more to think output than the striker’s mere output.

Frank will almost certainly revert to a 3-5-2 on Saturday and utilise Bryan Mbeumo in tandem with Toney. The pair tore Arsenal apart in their first-ever Premier League meeting last season, and the Cameroonian is in fine form himself; scoring and assisting in last weekend’s 3-0 victory over Southampton.

Arsenal’s centre-backs have their work cut out if they’re to stifle Brentford’s front two, but Thomas Partey and Arsenal’s other midfielders also have a big role to play defensively. The hosts will be subject to a barrage of long balls into Toney, who’s excellent at winning the first ball. Mbeumo’s pace in behind is a cause for concern, as is Rico Henry’s down the left should he advance up the pitch.

However, Arsenal’s midfield must also be wary of Brentford’s third-man runs from deeper zones. Their two #8s, likely to be Mathias Jensen and Josh Dasilva, love to make darting runs from midfield and burst in behind. Such runs are so difficult to track if they’re timed to perfection, with City being caught out several times by Frank Onyeka’s surging forays in their November meeting.

Gabriel and William Saliba must prevent Toney, who’s won the fourth-most aerial duels in the league, from winning the first ball. Should the Brentford striker have his way with Arsenal’s impressive centre-back pairing, the Gunners will be in trouble and they’ll be at the mercy of the visitors’ many outlets.

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