Arsenal's Premier League lead reduces after failing to beat Brentford

Arsenal's encounter with Brentford on Saturday (February 11) will go down as one of the most controversial games of the Premier League this season.

Not only were Brentford denied a legitimate goal early in the game after referee Peter Bankes wrongly adjudged Bryan Mbuemo to have fouled William Saliba, but the bigger talking point was also reserved for VAR.

The Gunners thought they had done enough to take home all three points when Leandro Trossard put them ahead in the 66th minute, but Brentford restored parity eight minutes later.

The equaliser, which was scored by Ivan Toney, should’ve been ruled out for offside, but the men behind the VAR missed it – an unpardonable mistake that eventually cost Arsenal maximum points.

While the controversy surrounding the Bees’ goal will continue to be debated in homes and pubs, the bottom line is that Mike Arteta’s side weren’t at their best and did not do enough to win on the day.

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Arsenal winless in last two league games

As expected, Arsenal enjoyed the larger share of possession but were not ruthless enough and rarely created any decent chances against Brentford.

For much of the season, the Gunners have been very good and have been known to be a side that takes the game to their opponents. On Saturday, though, they were rather lethargic and reactive.

The draw against Thomas Frank’s side means Arsenal are now winless in their last three games across competitions. This is also the first time this season they have failed to win back-to-back league games.

Last week’s 1-0 defeat to Everton was written off by many as a fluke, but Arsenal were once again unconvincing against Brentford. Arteta must halt this slump before it scuppers the team's title ambitions.

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Gunners losing lead in Premier League title race

Arsenal FC vs Brentford FC - Premier League

Arsenal’s drop in performance isn’t necessarily accidental, as it has coincided with a drop in the performance of some of the players.

Gabriel Martinelli hasn’t been himself for a few weeks now, while Eddie Nketiah hasn’t scored in three games. The defensive partnership of Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes has also not kept a clean sheet since January 15.

That has culminated in the Gunners gradually losing their grip on their Premier League lead. A month ago, they were nine points clear at the top and now only three points separate them and second-placed Manchester City. The Gunners, though, have a game in hand.

Arteta was visibly incensed by the performance of the referee against Brentford but he now has the task of preparing his side for a crucial midweek fixture against Manchester City that could define the title race. The Spaniard told Arsenal.com:

“Every match is (important). That’s been the case for the last two months, and today it was a massive game for us,” Arteta said after the draw with Brentford. It was a big game, and we are disappointed because we wanted all three points.

We’ll train tomorrow, recover, and review the match to see what we can do better and continue to do. Obviously, we’ll review Manchester City and then on Monday we’ll start to look ahead to the game.”

Arsenal still have their destiny in their hands, but City are closing in fast. The Gunners now risk losing the top spot unless they avoid defeat Pep Guardiola’s side on Wednesday (February 15).