Arsenal Face Brentford at the Emirates with Eyes on Momentum
Arsenal return to Premier League action against Brentford at the Emirates Stadium, aiming to carry forward the momentum from their remarkable victory over Real Madrid. The goal isn’t to bring players back down to earth, but rather to maintain a confident mindset—one that believes this team can beat anyone—as they push through the final stages of the campaign.
Momentum can be an unstoppable force once it builds, and Arsenal saw just that last season with an impressive run of form that included record-breaking wins and goals. While a similar streak may be out of reach this time around, the ultimate reward could be even greater—aside from the fabled gold trophy, of course.
That said, attention now turns back to the league, and with the Champions League second leg looming, we’re likely to see significant rotation in the lineup this weekend. With that in mind, football.london’s writers have shared their picks for who should feature against the Bees on Saturday evening.
Tom Canton
It’s natural to look ahead—especially when the next big clash is a trip to the Bernabéu with a three-goal advantage. Realistically, the title race seems out of reach, and with that in mind, I’d opt to rest as many of the usual starters as possible.
Thankfully, Arsenal now have real squad depth. Players like Ben White, Jorginho, Kieran Tierney, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Ethan Nwaneri, Leandro Trossard, and Raheem Sterling provide plenty of quality options. I’ve made seven changes from the side that beat Madrid, focusing on keeping key areas fresh.
The spine of the team—goalkeeper, central defence, and attacking midfield—stays largely intact. Odegaard and Kiwior, in particular, could benefit from more minutes to stay sharp for the big European night.
Canton’s Arsenal XI vs Brentford: Raya; White, Saliba, Kiwior, Tierney; Jorginho, Zinchenko, Odegaard; Nwaneri, Trossard, Sterling.
Joe Doyle
While there’s still work to do to secure a top-five finish, Arsenal’s 10-point cushion should be enough to book a Champions League spot for next season.
More importantly, the injury crisis appears to be easing—though I’ll be cautious not to tempt fate by saying it’s over. Either way, this is the time to rotate.
In goal, David Raya keeps his place. Defensively, I’d go with Ben White on the right, Saliba and Kiwior in the centre, and Zinchenko at left-back.
Midfield sees Jorginho start once more, and while Myles Lewis-Skelly deserves a look, I’d pair Jorginho with Thomas Partey for more stability. I’d also include Ethan Nwaneri further forward—it’s time to see how he might step in for Odegaard if needed.
Up front, I’m resting the midweek front three, opting instead for Raheem Sterling, Leandro Trossard, and an adventurous pick—Kieran Tierney—as part of the attack. Let’s inject a bit of chaos.
Doyle’s Arsenal XI vs Brentford: Raya; White, Saliba, Kiwior, Zinchenko; Jorginho, Partey, Nwaneri; Sterling, Trossard, Tierney.