Arsenal Extend Premier League Title Push With 2–0 Win Over Brentford but Double Injury Blow Leaves Arteta Anxious
Arsenal continued their impressive surge in the Premier League title race with a composed 2–0 victory over Brentford at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday (4 December 2025).
The victory not only strengthened their position at the top of the table but also extended their unbeaten run to 18 matches in all competitions. It was also their eighth consecutive home win, underlining just how dominant the Gunners have become at the Emirates this season.
Goals from Mikel Merino and substitute Bukayo Saka ensured Arsenal maintained their five-point cushion at the summit. Yet despite the strong performance and confident result, the win came at a concerning cost.
Injury Troubles Return as Arsenal Lose Two Key Players
In the middle of Arsenal’s dominant display, their ongoing injury crisis deepened.
Defender Cristhian Mosquera was forced off just before halftime, adding to a growing list of absentees that already includes Gabriel Magalhães and William Saliba, both sidelined with injuries.
The situation worsened late in the match when Declan Rice, who had been outstanding throughout the evening, signaled discomfort and asked to be substituted during the final 10 minutes. The England midfielder left the pitch clutching his calf, raising immediate concerns about his availability for upcoming fixtures.
Arteta Worried About Rice: “This Is Not Good News”
Manager Mikel Arteta did not hide his concern after the match. With the team already stretched thin, losing another pivotal player like Rice could prove damaging.
“Clearly, it’s not good news. Declan had to come off. We don’t know the extent yet—we need to assess him tomorrow,”
said Arteta, visibly frustrated with the growing injury list.
Arsenal are already without Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard, both recovering from earlier setbacks. Arteta admitted that the congested schedule has played a major role in the increasing number of injuries throughout the squad.
“Declan can still walk, but he couldn’t continue. The problem is he has played so many minutes. We played Wednesday night and now again early on Saturday. The schedule is extremely demanding,”
Arteta explained.
A Brutal Week for the Squad
Arteta highlighted that Arsenal have just endured one of their toughest stretches of the season: matches against Tottenham, Bayern Munich, and Chelsea, followed by the Brentford clash—with significantly less rest time compared to their opponents.
He emphasized the need for greater consideration regarding player welfare, especially with the intensity and frequency of Premier League fixtures.
Despite resting several key players—such as Bukayo Saka, Jurrien Timber, and Eberechi Eze—Arteta’s rotation decisions proved effective.
Arsenal opened the scoring through a beautifully-worked move involving Noni Madueke and Ben White. White delivered a brilliant cross that Merino met with a powerful header to give the Gunners an early advantage.
Brentford had a golden opportunity to equalize, but former Bee David Raya produced a stunning reaction save to push Kevin Schade’s header onto the crossbar.
In stoppage time, the match was finally put to bed. Bukayo Saka, coming off the bench, unleashed a low strike that Brentford keeper Caoimhin Kelleher managed to touch—but not stop—as the ball deflected off him and rolled across the line.
Looking Ahead: Aston Villa Await, Injury Crisis Looms
Arsenal will now shift their focus to a tough weekend fixture against Aston Villa, but the celebrations from the Brentford win are overshadowed by concern for their thinning squad.
While the Gunners continue to collect points and remain firmly in control of the title race, the growing list of injuries threatens to disrupt their momentum. Arteta faces a challenging task in keeping his team competitive as the season’s schedule intensifies.
ALSO READ :
