The new year will kick off with quite a Premier League fixture as Brentford host an Arsenal side who are looking to shift their attack into high gear. While the Gunners’ defense has been rock solid this season, they’ve left much to be desired, only scoring once against Ipswich Town and being shut out while facing Everton. The attacking woes are only increased with the amount of time that Bukayo Saka will miss after undergoing surgery. While the January transfer window will be open to begin adding reinforcements, none of them will be at Arsenal in time to lift them in this one.
Here are our storylines, how you can watch the match and more:
How to watch and odds
- Date: Wednesday, Jan. 1 | Time: 12:30 p.m.
- Location: Gtech Community Stadium — Brentford, Middlesex
- TV: USA | Live stream: Fubo TV (Try for free)
- Odds: Brentford +600; Draw +230; Arsenal -230
Storylines
Brentford: Despite Brentford’s strong attack, results have been hard to come by as of late. They knocked off Newcastle United at home before going winless in their last four matches. It won’t get any easier with Arsenal coming to town on a short week, but to establish themselves as a true top-half team, Brentford will need to clean up their defense to win more of these matches at home. Ethan Pinnock and Kristoffer Ajer won’t be able to return to help while Ben Mee also picked up an injury. Keeper Mark Flekken will be a game-time decision, making things even tougher on Thomas Frank.
Brentford predicted XI: Hakon Rafn Valdimarsson, Vitaly Janelt, Nathan Collins, Ji-Soo Kim, Kean Lewis-Potter, Yegor Yarmolyuk, Christian Norgaard, Mikkel Damsgaard, Mads Roerslev, Yoane Wissa, Bryan Mbeumo
Arsenal: Raheem Sterling will still be absent for this match but a lot of Arsenal’s injury issues are the same ones that they’ve been dealing with. Ben White is still out along with Saka while Takehiro Tomiyasu will also be unavailable. Young Myles Lewis-Skelly has been able to step up during this time but against tougher opposition like Brentford, experience will be needed.
Arsenal predicted XI: David Raya, Riccardo Calafiori, Gabriel, William Saliba, Jurrien Timber, Declan Rice, Thomas Partey, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus
Prediction
Brentford have been strong at home but Arsenal aren’t a team that anyone will want to face without their top defenders being available. Pick: Brentford 1, Arsenal 3
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