Arsenal vs Brentford Predictions

• Arsenal have scored fewer than three goals in eight of their last nine Premier League games
• Brentford have conceded fewer than three goals in their last eight league games
• Brentford have lost five of six Premier League away games

Arsenal need to mind the gap

Arsenal have found it tough to break down Brentford in recent years and there is no reason to suspect the Bees will open up for the Premier League leaders on Wednesday. The Gunners saw their gap to second place cut over the weekend when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

In the context of the season and with both of their first-choice central defenders out, it is probably a good result. But with Chelsea down to 10 men from the 38th minute following Moises Caicedo’s red card, Mikel Arteta may see it as a great opportunity missed.

Manchester City have the chance to cut Arsenal’s advantage to just two points when they play at Craven Cottage on Tuesday, so there could be some added pressure on this fixture.

Gyokeres is hardly enhancing Gunners’ goal potential

Arteta will surely go with the strongest team he has available and that really should include the club’s £64million summer signing Viktor Gyokeres. However, the Swedish striker has been short of full fitness and only got on for a 20-minute cameo at Stamford Bridge.

Mikel Merino has looked more threatening inside the box of late, registering an expected goals (xG) tally of 0.55 against Bayern Munich and 0.65 on Sunday. With a huge game against an in-form Aston Villa coming up next weekend, it would be no surprise if Merino was deployed as an impact substitute against the Bees to keep him fresh.

Gyokeres has scored twice in his last eight league games for the Gunners, which is fine when you consider the work he does for the team outside the box and Arsenal’s winning form. But Arteta’s team have managed to score a total of only nine goals in the last matches Gyokeres has featured in and they may struggle to net more than a couple against a blossoming Brentford side.

Details to determine tight contest

The Bees are sixth in the six-game form table with four wins and two defeats since returning from the October international break. They have a solid spine, tactical discipline and remain one of the better set-piece teams around, so they match up to Arsenal very well.

They also have an in-form striker in Igor Thiago, for whom everything seems to be falling for and going in – even his mishits. Supporting Arsenal to win to nil or cover a -2 handicap look like risky plays in the circumstances and any Gunners victory here is probably going to be down to fine details.

Recent history and trends suggest the hosts will not overwhelm their opponents with Arsenal having scored more than twice in only two of the last nine head-to-head meetings and just once in their last nine top-flight clashes. Back a 2-1 Arsenal win because Brentford have still lost five of their six league trips this term, so may lack the belief to deny the hosts all three points.