It looked for all the world that Mikel Arteta’s plan was going to play out perfectly, but his cavalry charge backfired to leave Arsenal facing win or bust in the Champions League this season.
The Premier League title race was probably already over before this game, but there is no doubt about it now – Arsenal’s season rests on success or failure in Europe.
Arteta rested Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Jurrien Timber and Mikel Merino after the exhilarating Champions League quarter-final first-leg victory over Real Madrid. The move, with more than an eye on Wednesday night’s second leg, seemed to be working a treat when Thomas Partey put Arsenal into the lead shortly before Saka, Odegaard and Lewis-Skelly were sent on.
But it was with his star men, including Timber, on the pitch that Arsenal threw away their lead and any slim hope of catching Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table, as Yoane Wissa succeeded where Kylian Mbappé and co had all failed by beating David Raya.
🎙️ "It's Wissa at the Emirates again for Brentford!"
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 12, 2025
The Bees are LEVEL 🐝 pic.twitter.com/JnLOaQ1c92
There was also an element of bad luck, as Partey had to be replaced by Timber because of an injury and Jorginho was forced off because of a problem with his ribs after Merino had been sent on, which meant Arsenal finished the game with 10 men.
Even if Liverpool slip up against West Ham United at Anfield on Sunday, successive draws before and after the Madrid first leg have made sure that Arsenal, despite still being mathematically in the race, will not catch them. Arteta all but conceded the title by confirming that Arsenal’s season now rests on Wednesday night in the Bernabéu.
“For us, as professionals, we know the importance of that [Brentford game],” said Arteta. “Today what we wanted to do was increase the probability of us really challenging for what we are looking for in the Premier League. With that result, obviously, it’s more unlikely to happen.
“We still have six games to play in the Premier League, which are going to be really important, but for sure now it’s all about Wednesday.”
Arteta refused to speculate whether or not Partey would be ready to face Madrid in the second leg, saying: “We don’t know. He felt something. I haven’t spoken to the doctors yet, so they will check him now and see how he is.”
On Jorginho’s injury, Arteta added: “I don’t exactly know, but he had problems breathing, so he said he could not carry on.”
Gabriel Martinelli claimed he could have suffered a broken leg at the hands of a tackle from Christian Norgaard, which earned the Brentford midfielder a first-half booking.
Brentford manager Thomas Frank said: “That is his opinion. I thought it was a strong yellow. But it was a yellow.”
Tuesday night’s free-kick hero Declan Rice was retained in the centre of Arsenal’s midfield and received a huge cheer when his name was read out ...
