Arsenal’s Premier League title chase hit another bump as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Brentford.
Despite a much-rotated lineup from Mikel Arteta, the Gunners looked sharp in the early stages.
Arteta rested big names like Saka and Odegaard, saving them for their Champions League clash with Real Madrid.
In their place, Kieran Tierney, Jorginho, Trossard, Zinchenko, and 16-year-old Ethan Nwaneri got the nod.
Nwaneri and Martinelli were bright on the wings, pushing Brentford back in the opening minutes.
But it was the visitors who nearly struck first. On 22 minutes, Ajer’s strike forced a solid save from Raya.
Just minutes later, Arsenal thought they had gone ahead through Tierney’s header—but VAR flagged it for offside.
The breakthrough finally came around the hour mark. A rapid counter ended with Partey firing home from a Rice assist.
Brentford weren’t done, though. With 15 minutes left, Collins knocked a header into the box.
Wissa pounced and smashed in the equalizer, silencing the Emirates crowd.
Arteta threw on Saka and Odegaard late on, hoping for a winner, but Brentford held firm.
The draw leaves Arsenal 10 points behind leaders Liverpool, who face West Ham on Sunday.
Their title chances? Slipping—unless something dramatic happens in the weeks ahead.
