In the early morning of January 2nd, Arsenal won a 3-1 victory over Brentford in an away game in the 19th round of the 2024-2025 Premier League season, securing a good start to the new year. With this victory, Arsenal accumulated 39 points after the first half of the Premier League matches, ranking second in the Premier League table, six points behind the league leader Liverpool.
After the start of the match, in the 11th minute, Odegaard's midfield pass was intercepted by Damsgaard, who dribbled through the midfield and passed the ball directly to Mbeumo on the right front. Mbeumo dribbled into the penalty area and shot low against Kalas' defense, with the ball entering the net from the right side of the goal, giving Brentford a 1-0 lead. In the 26th minute, Arsenal won a free-kick opportunity in the frontcourt, but Thomas' shot in the penalty area was saved by goalkeeper Fleck. In the 27th minute, Fleck kicked the ball from the backcourt to the frontcourt, where Jota received the ball on the left flank, dribbled into the penalty area, and took a shot, which was blocked by Raya at the near post before being cleared off the line. In the 28th minute, Martinelli's shot in front of the penalty area was disrupted, but Thomas' shot caused Fleck to drop the ball, allowing Jesus to head in the rebound and score. The first half ended with both teams tied at 1-1.
The match entered the second half, and in the 49th minute, Arsenal won a corner kick on the right side. Nwaneri delivered the ball into the penalty area, but Fleck failed to clear it far. In the ensuing scramble, Jesus' shot was blocked by a defender, and Merino scored the rebound, putting Arsenal ahead 2-1. In the 52nd minute, Nwaneri crossed from the right flank, and the ball was headed out by Nathan Collins. Martinelli then volleyed the ball into the net, extending Arsenal's lead to 3-1. In the 59th minute, Arsenal launched a counterattack, with Martinelli receiving the ball in the penalty area and passing it to Jesus, whose shot went wide. In the 91st minute, Yarmolenko lofted the ball into the penalty area, but Collins' diving header lacked power, and the ball went out of bounds. Ultimately, Arsenal managed to turn the game around with a 3-1 victory over Brentford away from home.
In this match, Arsenal's ability to defeat Brentford was largely due to the excellent performance of a healthy Thomas in midfield, who excelled both offensively and defensively. Throughout the game, Thomas mainly operated in the central midfield area, completing 52 successful passes, becoming an important participant in Arsenal's attacking system. Additionally, Thomas made five tackles in the match, the highest for Arsenal, making it difficult for Brentford to launch quick counterattacks through the midfield.
Meanwhile, 17-year-old Nwaneri started on the right flank, marking the biggest change in Arsenal's lineup for this match. Nwaneri's start allowed Martinelli to return to the left flank, fully utilizing his offensive strengths. Facing Brentford, a mid-table Premier League team, Nwaneri was very active on the right flank, and Arsenal's third goal also came from Nwaneri's cross from the right.