Arsenal saw their Premier League title charge dented on Thursday after settling for a 1–1 draw against Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium.
The league leaders went ahead in the 61st minute when Noni Madueke powered in a header from a precise cross by Piero Hincapié. The effort wrong-footed goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher and sparked animated celebrations from manager Mikel Arteta as pressure briefly eased on his side following weeks of a narrowing lead.
Brentford responded strongly just 10 minutes later. A long throw from Michael Kayode was flicked on by Sepp van den Berg, setting up Keane Lewis-Potter to head home from close range for the equaliser.
The second half produced end-to-end action. Igor Thiago missed a clear chance to win it for the hosts, blasting over the bar after a promising run, while Arsenal nearly snatched victory late when Gabriel Martinelli broke through one-on-one only for Kelleher to deny him with a brave stoppage-time save.
Arteta attempted to regain control by introducing Martin Ødegaard and Bukayo Saka from the bench, but Brentford’s disciplined display ensured they secured a deserved point.
The draw leaves Arsenal four points clear at the summit, a significant drop from their recent nine-point cushion over second-placed Manchester City, tightening the title race.
Elijah Adeyemi
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