Kai Havertz's heroics lift Arsenal past Brentford in Premier League match

Arsenal hosted Brentford at their home field, the Emirates Stadium and went to Premier League top spot with 2-1 win

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Web Desk
Arsenals Kai Havertz is mobbed by teammates after scoring the teams second goal against Brentford. —  AFP
Arsenal's Kai Havertz is mobbed by teammates after scoring the team's second goal against Brentford. —  AFP 

Arsenal maintained their ranking in the Premier League with a 2-1 victory over Brentford on Saturday.

Arsenal hosted Brentford at their home field, the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal showed great strength from the very opening minutes of the match. The first half witnessed Declan Rice's spectacular header after a deft pass from Ben White. Even though Arsenal appeared to be in control, they had to bear the brunt of a crucial error right before halftime when Aaron Ramsdale, the goalkeeper for Arsenal, got clumsy with the ball, which gave Yoane Wissa of Brentford a chance to capitalise and score.

When the second half got underway, both teams ramped up their efforts to turn the match in their favour. Arsenal went on the attack, and Ramsdale, who had made a mistake before, showed great goalkeeping ability and made vital saves.

Some decisions by referee Robert Jones did not go down well with the Arsenal players and supporters who felt that they should have been awarded penalties several times during the match. It created tension among the players. Key Arsenal player Kai Havertz, meanwhile, avoided receiving a second yellow card for a controversial dive in the box.

Brentford's goalie Mark Flekken produced incredible saves to preserve the hopes of the team. Both teams put their best on the field, and the game played out like a real fight.

In the 86th minute, Kai Havertz secured the 2-1 victory for Arsenal with a crucial header, making it Arsenal's moment of glory. Arsenal's Premier League-winning performance sent the Emirates Stadium into a frenzy.

Kai Havertz, talking to the media after the match, said, "I'm happy to help the team." He expressed his happiness at helping the club succeed. "I would be happy to play anywhere you want me to, even at number eight or ten on this team."

Havertz stressed that he will always strive to have a positive influence, no matter where he plays.

Despite the earlier mishap, Mikel Arteta, the manager of Arsenal, praised Ramsdale for his "huge personality and courage." While acknowledging that mistakes are inevitable in football, Arteta emphasised the importance of players' responses to them.

“An error is part of football. It is how to react to it (that matters),” he underlined. “Especially for the keepers, it is probably the most difficult position.”

This win improved Arsenal's standing in the Premier League and increased supporters' enthusiasm for the team's impending struggles, especially in the Champions League.