LONDON – Arsenal have only one thing on their minds when they host Brentford in an English Premier League clash on March 9 – to move top of the standings.
Mikel Arteta will know that his team have the perfect opportunity to do so, provided they defeat Thomas Frank’s Bees for three potentially title-deciding points.
The Gunners are third in the table on 61 points, behind leaders Liverpool (63) and Manchester City (62).
Jurgen Klopp’s Reds and Pep Guardiola’s champions meet at Anfield a day later, and at least one side will drop points in this tight title race with 11 games left.
Arteta, though, has urged his men to focus on their own match.
“That’s the only thing we can control – perform well, play better than them (Brentford) and earn the right to win the game,” he said on March 7.
“Let’s do that and if we do that then on Sunday it’s a beautiful game to watch for any football supporter, and I will certainly be watching it.
“I will sit down with my kids and enjoy the match.”
When asked if he had a preferred winner for the Liverpool-City clash, he replied: “I can’t control it.
“I will enjoy a magnificent game of football between two of the best teams in Europe in the last decade and let’s see what that brings, but the focus is on us and Brentford.
“We know the demands that we have. We are still not (top of the league) and we want to be better than where we are at the moment, so we have to continue to win.”
One big positive for Arsenal is that they have found their scoring boots in this crucial part of the season, netting 31 goals in seven Premier League games in 2024.
The Gunners are heading into the match on the back of a 6-0 win at Sheffield United.
The six goals without reply also means that Arteta’s men have now scored a league-best 68 goals and also have the best goal difference (45). Their 23 goals conceded is also the fewest in the league.
“It’s great because it shows the quality and the consistency that the team is showing,” the Arsenal boss said.
“The way that we have scored those goals as well, not only the manner but as well the personnel is a really positive thing to see.
“Then there’s the fact that we are conceding very little defensively.
“So those ingredients together are very powerful to get results and we want more.”
It would be a major upset if Arsenal do not take advantage of the situation, especially since they have already beaten Brentford twice this season – both 1-0 wins at the Gtech Community Stadium in the League Cup and the league.
Takehiro Tomiyasu and Oleksandr Zinchenko are on the verge of returning from their injuries, while Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli should be fit after slight knocks.
Brentford will hope to gain some momentum from their 2-2 draw with Chelsea, which ended a three-match losing streak as they languish in 15th in the standings.
Manager Frank will know that he has to do something about his side’s dire away form, as seven of their last eight league matches have ended in defeat.
