Gunners start 2025 with statement win to underline rise and rise of Ethan Nwaneri

Arsenal pick up vital victory at wet and windy Brentford on New Year's Day

Hello,

Happy New Year!

It certainly is after Arsenal moved back to second spot in the Premier League table, after staging an impressive statement win to earn three valuable points at Brentford on the first day of 2025.

On a wet and windy New Year’s Day in west London, Arteta’s side displayed character to come from behind against a lively Brentford side, who simply had no answer to the Gunners power play.

Two second half goals in three minutes sealed a vital victory to underline Arsenal’s Premier League title credentials.

The excesses of the festive period were matched by Mikel Arteta’s side’s stodgy performance in the opening 20 minutes of the London derby sandwiched between the A4 flyover and Kew Bridge.

Arsenal moved back to within six points of table toppers Liverpool, following a quick-fire brace after the interval by Mikel Merino and Gabi Martinelli earned the Gunners three important points in their hunt to overhaul Arnie Slot’s side, as they made it 25 goals from corners since the start of last season.

A superb performance by one of our own. CREDIT: Arsenal FC

Gabi Is A Gooner. CREDIT: Arsenal FC

Mikel Merino celebrates his goal that put Arsenal 2-1 up at Brentford. CREDIT: Arsenal FC

Jesus had started 2025 in fine fashion when the Brazil striker made it six goals in four matches in all competitions before the half hour mark, when showing excellent anticipation to level Bryan Mbeumo’s early opener for Brentford, in a must-win match for Arteta’s side.

I sat in on Arteta’s post-match presser while thawing out, after covering the game from the windswept Brentford gantry - funnily enough as I did on Ethan Nwaneri’s debut back in September 2022.

It was no wonder Arteta looked relieved, saying: “It’s a very difficult place to come, when you see their record at home, the way they play, the way they cause issues to opponents, very impressive, on top of that, we went a goal down. So then, it becomes a big mountain to climb, but I think the team showed a lot of composure [and]was very calm emotionally…”

The rise and rise of Ethan Nwaneri

The result was made even better bearing in mind the flu bug that swept through the squad, that saw Kai Havertz sent home and Declan Rice benched.

Although Arteta strangely denied it after the match, the illnesses allowed teenage starlet Ethan Nwaneri to make his first Premier League start, at the ground where he made his debut as a raw 15-year-old two seasons ago.

Arteta said: “That position wasn’t because of a bug, that was a decision we made because I thought he was the best player to play in the position to start the game and because there was a story there, with his debut here.

“He made his Premier League debut and sometimes that feeling comes in and you feel it’s the right one and who knows.”

When reflecting on Nwaneri’s development since his debut in 2022, Arteta added: “Part of that development is patience, managing frustration or managing expectation, or you expect that everything is going to go so fast, like the previous things happen and it’s not the case.

“So we’re building him, he’s already played a lot of games a lot of minutes for the age that he’s got and he fully deserves that.”

Nwaneri, who made his Premier League debut as a 15-year-old at Brentford in the aftermath of the Queen’s death back in September 2022, has now appeared 10 times as a substitute in the league this term, before facing the Bees, and was an important cog during the Gunners crucial brace of goals in 180 seconds after the interval.

This certainly bodes well in providing cover for the injured Bukayo Saka, who is set to miss the next two months action at the very least.

No wonder Gabi Martinelli mused: "No-one can replace him [Saka] He is one of the best players in the world."

(As an aside wasn’t it great to note Gabi Gol’s renewed form too - with his tally of four goals in three games more than he managed in his previous 26 games.)

However, Nwaneri certainly tried his best to ensure Saka’s absence was mitigated.

Not least when the 17-year-old’s corner led to Merino's goal, prior to his cross fired home by Martinelli to make it 3-1.

Nwaneri’s presence also gave Arsenal a new edge to their game.

Invariably when Saka started, the majority of Gunners attacks came down the right-hand flank - nearly 50 per cent of their attacks the stats said prior to Saka’s untimely injury.

Yet, the 3-1 triumph over Thomas Frank’s side saw Arsenal become more of a threat across the middle and the left hand channel.

All of which means, when Brighton aim to study ways to blunt Arsenal attacks ahead of another crucial away match this weekend, the out of form Seagulls will now have to pay full attention to the whole pitch, not just the previously deadly right-hand side.

All of which added up to, quite simply, a very satisfying start to the New Year.

I hope your start to 2025 has been as satisfying.

Happy New Year

Layth