Brentford 0-3 Arsenal: Fabio Vieira scores first Gunners aim as Mikel Arteta’s aspect go high once more | Soccer Information

Brentford boss Thomas Frank described Arsenal as title contenders after Fabio Vieira’s beautiful aim helped the Gunners safe a 3-0 win on the Gtech Group Stadium which despatched them high of the Premier League.

Vieira, making his first Premier League begin within the absence of the injured Martin Odegaard, rifled a long-range effort in off the publish (49) to cap a commanding victory for Mikel Arteta’s males.

Earlier, the spectacular William Saliba had opened the scoring with a flicked, near-post header from Bukayo Saka’s nook (17), earlier than Gabriel Jesus doubled Arsenal’s benefit with a equally well-taken header from Granit Xhaka’s diagonal centre (28).

The Gunners’ final go to to Brentford resulted in a dismal 2-0 defeat on the opening day of final season however on this event they had been completely dominant, the victory underlining their current enchancment and sending them some extent away from Manchester Metropolis and Tottenham on the high of the Premier League desk.

“It was a well-deserved win for them,” Frank stated of Arsenal. “You’ll be able to see how arduous they labored. I believe they’ll do brilliantly. I believe they compete for the title now.”

Arsenal even had time to create a chunk of Premier League historical past in stoppage time as Arteta despatched on academy participant Ethan Nwaneri, who solely turned 15 in March, to turn into the youngest-ever participant to characteristic within the competitors.

How Arsenal cruised to victory

The ambiance was subdued earlier than kick-off, with gamers and supporters observing a minute’s silence in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, adopted by a rendition of the nationwide anthem.

When the motion received underway, although, Arsenal supplied an instantaneous clue of what was to come back as Xhaka mixed with Martinelli contained in the Brentford field, just for the Brazilian to lose his footing earlier than connecting together with his shot.

The Gunners did not have to attend lengthy for the breakthrough, nevertheless, with Saliba’s header from Saka’s nook clearly bouncing over the road after hitting the within of David Raya’s right-hand publish.

It was the Frenchman’s second aim of the marketing campaign and he was equally spectacular defensively, serving to to shackle Ivan Toney following the Brentford striker’s England call-up this week.

Arsenal’s second aim got here from a well-recognized supply, Jesus netting for the fourth time this season as he headed Xhaka’s excellent supply simply out of attain of Raya.

Brentford couldn’t get a foothold within the recreation and Arsenal successfully ended it as contest quickly after half-time when Vieira collected a Saka cross in area exterior the Brentford field and unleashed a strong strike that crashed in off the publish.

The Gunners continued to dominate, with Raya twice denying Jesus and likewise making an outstanding one-handed save from Saka, however the three-goal cushion proved greater than sufficient to take Arsenal high and there was extra cause for the visiting followers to cheer when Nwaneri was thrown on within the closing levels.

“It was a pure intestine feeling,” defined Arteta when requested about Nwaneri afterwards. “I met the child and I favored what I noticed. He has skilled a few instances with us and I had a sense yesterday that if the chance got here I’d do it.”

Arteta: We’re a distinct group now

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta to Sky Sports activities: “The pure factor to do is to explain what occurred right here final 12 months as a very dangerous day. The best way I describe it’s as a character-building day. A group has to evolve and undergo these moments collectively.

“A group can provide up, query all people and blame different individuals, or it could possibly look within the mirror, take the lesson and transfer ahead. In the present day, clearly, you have got seen a really totally different group.

“That is what we needed. We talked earlier than the sport that we had the chance to again to the highest.

“Yesterday, they took it away from us, however we needed it again. We needed to present that need from the primary minute and we now have carried out it.”

Evaluation: Saliba typifies Arsenal transformation

William Saliba was a whole lot of miles away, actually, and, maybe, figuratively, when Arsenal suffered their ignominious 2-0 loss to Brentford final season. However he’s right here now. You could not actually miss him on the Gtech Group Stadium on Sunday.

The Frenchman, excellent all season having spent the earlier marketing campaign on mortgage with Marseille, produced arguably his finest efficiency but to assist Arsenal safe a 3-0 win which underlined their transformation over the course of the final 12 months.

His aim, his second of the marketing campaign following his excellent end in opposition to Bournemouth, confirmed his aerial risk from set-piece conditions, his towering header from Bukayo Saka’s nook bouncing off the within of the publish and over the road.

But it surely was all the things else he did – the “ugly” issues, as Mikel Arteta described them afterwards – that made his efficiency actually stand out. Ivan Toney left Arsenal shell-shocked on this fixture final 12 months. This time, he was dominated by Saliba from the beginning.

The 21-year-old was a colossus, profitable duels, snuffing out hazard and making certain a aspect who scored 5 targets of their final dwelling recreation might this time solely muster two photographs on the right track.

Even Brentford supervisor Thomas Frank couldn’t assist however be impressed, utilizing his post-match press convention to laud the centre-back’s efficiency as he described Arsenal as title contenders.

Saliba relished his bodily battle with Toney and he was simply as spectacular on the ball, offering composure within the face of Brentford’s urgent, at instances slaloming away from challenges deep in his personal half earlier than sending Arsenal ahead on the assault.

His presence shouldn’t be the only real cause for Arsenal’s transformation. Gabriel Jesus’ impression has been equally vital and Fabio Vieira, one other summer time signing, supplied a glimpse of his class on Sunday too. However it’s Saliba, Arsenal’s new colossus, who finest reveals the extent of the progress.

Gabriel taunts Toney on Twitter

Arsenal had been irked by a tweet from Ivan Toney after final 12 months’s 2-0 loss to Brentford however defender Gabriel Magalhaes was fast to reply after full-time on Sunday, publishing a publish which mimicked the striker’s because the Gunners celebrated their victory.

Frank: Arsenal are title contenders

Brentford boss Thomas Frank to Sky Sports activities: “I believe we carried out fairly properly, however if you wish to win in opposition to a group that’s flying, you may’t concede the primary aim from a set-piece, you may’t concede the second like we did.

“We discuss [Martin] Odegaard being out, however then they put in a £35m participant [Fabio Vieira] as an alternative. That reveals their high quality and I respect that. It was a well-deserved win for them. You’ll be able to see how arduous they labored.

“You’ll be able to see how they celebrated the primary aim, in a huddle, so that they had clearly spoken about how troublesome a spot it’s to come back right here, and so they confirmed us loads of respect, which I am happy with as a result of it means we now have carried out one thing good.

“I believe they’ll do brilliantly. I believe they compete for the title now.”

Nwaneri the record-breaker – Opta stats

• On the age of 15 years and 181 days, Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri turned the youngest ever participant to seem in a Premier League match. The previous-youngest had been Harvey Elliott, who performed for Fulham on the age of 16 years and 30 days (vs Wolves in Could 2019).
• Solely Erling Haaland (12) has been straight concerned in additional Premier League targets than Arsenal’s Gabriel Jesus this season (seven – 4 targets and three assists). Certainly, no Arsenal participant has ever had extra mixed targets and assists by way of their first seven Premier League appearances for the membership.
• Of the 19 gamers to have scored on their first begin for Arsenal within the Premier League, Fabio Vieira is the primary to have discovered the online from exterior the field.

England World Cup Squad watch

Ivan Toney was unable to observe up his England call-up with any extra goalscoring heroics following his hat-trick in opposition to Leeds final day trip, sending a free-kick narrowly over the bar with considered one of few possibilities.

Bukayo Saka impressed for Arsenal, establishing the primary and third targets, whereas Ben White confirmed why he was unlucky to not be included in Gareth Southgate’s squad with one other assured show at right-back.

Rico Henry, tipped by some as an outdoor guess for the squad, had a troublesome afternoon up in opposition to Saka.

The deadline for Gareth Southgate to call his squad is October 19. The World Cup begins on November 20, with England’s first recreation in opposition to Iran on November 21.

What’s subsequent?

After the worldwide break, Brentford journey to Bournemouth (3pm), whereas Arsenal host rivals Tottenham Hotspur (12.30pm), with each video games going down on Saturday October 1.