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Arsenal came into the encounter with three games in hand over 4th-placed Manchester United. Anything less than a win tonight would've been a dent in their hopes of qualifying for Europe.
However, it would be safe to say that the Gunners did not crumble under the pressure. They registered a convincing 2-1 win over Brentford, despite a late surge by the visitors which troubled Arsenal briefly.
Mikel Arteta's men sit one point behind 4th place with two games in hand. The North London outfit have won three and drawn one out of their last five games. They also boast one of the best defenses in the league this season.
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After a dominant first-half performance, Brentford were seemingly lucky not to be behind at the break. However, that changed swiftly in the second half. Emile Smith Rowe charged into the box from the left flank and hit a sweet side-footed shot to give his team a much-deserved lead in the 48th minute.
Brentford seemed to muster some confidence deep into the second half. However, they were put down again by Bukayo Saka as he unleashed a left-footed strike into the goal in the 79th minute.
A late goal from Christian Norgaard was nothing but a consolation for the away side as John Moss called it a game. On that note, let's take a look at the five talking points from the game.
#5 A robust defensive performance from the Gunners
Mikel Arteta plans to make Arsenal one of the most difficult teams to score against, and he is slowly but surely reaching his target. The signings of Ben White and Aaron Ramsdale raised quite a lot of eyebrows. However, the duo have been a formidable unit at the back for the Gunners. They have been aided by the likes of Gabriel Magalhaes, Kieran Tierney and the currently-injured Takehiro Tomiyasu.
The Gunners, yet again, gave Brentford no room to breathe in their half, as the visitors only had six attempts on goal throughout the 90 minutes. Arsenal have kept as many as five clean sheets in their last seven league games; a stat they can certainly be proud of.
#4 An Emile Smith Rowe masterclass
Arsenal's youngsters keep shining and Hale End keeps winning. Mikel Arteta fields the youngest XI in the Premier League every week and the boys keep getting the job done with precision and quality.
Emile Smith Rowe, along with the support of Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka, once again lit up the Emirates with his scintillating performance against Brentford. The 21-year-old is now in double figures for goals this season despite not being a regular starter for Arsenal in the past few months.
Mikel Arteta has preferred Gabriel Martinelli over Smith Rowe due to the former's pace, dribbling and natural instincts as a winger. However, in his absence, Smith Rowe left no doubt that he can very well fill the position and start consistently for Arsenal, if needed.
#3 Brentford missed Ivan Toney heavily
The Arsenal centre-backs were quite comfortable throughout the 90 minutes. Bryan Mbeumo was simply not a threat to the Gunners. Thomas Frank's 5-4-1 formation did not help Brentford's cause at the other end of the pitch.
Ivan Toney is a player who can impose himself in the game despite not having world-class service. His hold-up game and strength to ward off defenders as well as his positioning is a bit of a task for any defender to contain. Not having the Englishman fit reduced Brentford's chances drastically of taking anything from this game.
The Bees only had two shots on target and are now just six points above the relegation zone. Leeds United, Everton and Newcastle are just two points behind Brentford, but with three games in hand each. It could very well go downhill for Brentford from here if they do not pull together as they enter the business end of the season.
#2 Arsenal are in desperate need of a world-class striker
The Gunners have continued to produce world-class talents every year during their stay in the top flight. They have one of the best academies in the world and are always keen to promote youngsters from their institute. However, there are certain positions for which they need to turn to the football market.
The likes of Cesc Fabregas, Robin Van Persie, Alex Song and Ashley Cole are some of the few players who have left Arsenal in their prime to win trophies elsewhere. This could very well be the case with the likes of Martinelli, Saka, Smith Rowe if the owners do not invest in the squad soon.
Alexandre Lacazette misfired again for the Gunners tonight as he failed to make the most out of his chances and was often the weak link in the team. The Frenchman lacks movement inside the box and does not possess the pace or ability to run the channels like a modern centre-forward
For all his work ethic, Lacazette simply does not score enough goals to be a starter for a club that aims to compete in the Champions League. The 30-year-old has scored just three goals this season and is yet to score more than 13 goals in one full Premier League season since joining Arsenal.
#1 Will the Gunners be in the Champions League next season?
As things stand, Arsenal seem like the most in-form team out of all the competitors for the top four in the Premier League. Manchester United have been dropping points relentlessly while West Ham have too weak a squad to be competing in two competitions. Tottenham, despite a massive win against Manchester City, are often torn apart by teams who sit back deep and play on the counter.
That leaves Arsenal as the most balanced team out of the lot. However, inconsistency is a factor Arteta hasn't completely tackled either. This is evidenced by the two points dropped against Burnley at home and the frequent red cards shown to Arsenal players.
The Gunners have been deprived of Champions League football at the Emirates. This year definitely seems like their best chance to get back to a competition they deserve to play in.
Mikel Arteta and Co. have a wonderful team of passionate players at their disposal; anything less than the top four could be a failure for the Gunners this season.
