Some weeks, Arsenal look unstoppable. Some of them, they look vulnerable. But after another unconvincing display at Brentford, there has been a common theme about Arsenal recently
Since the turn of the year, Arsenal have struggled to respond to a Manchester City result in the title race. This was the fourth time that Mikel Arteta’s side have played after City in the gameweek and dropped points.
This week, Man City swept aside Fulham but Arsenal stumbled against their own west London opponents the following day. They lost to Manchester United the day after Man City beat Wolves.
Earlier in the calendar year, they failed to really extend their lead over Pep Guardiola’s side at Nottingham Forest a few hours after the Manchester derby City lost – and against Liverpool, after City dropped points at Brighton.
At the same time, when Arsenal have gone first, they have looked like a different team. Last weekend, there were no nerves against Sunderland, which preceded City’s dramatic game at Liverpool.
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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from the Premier League match between Brentford and Arsenal
They went to Elland Road – another difficult venue and lost their star forward Bukayo Saka during the warm-up – and it was easy street ahead of City’s game at Spurs.
Arsenal found a way at Bournemouth on the Saturday before City hosted Chelsea on Super Sunday. And even when they played Aston Villa at home, they picked up the statement result they lacked at Brentford. Once again, that came a day before City were in action.
Arteta refutes the claim that ‘going second’ has an impact on his team. “I don’t think so, I think we played as well after them a few times this season, and we have won the games,” he said.
He has a point. Arsenal’s slender December wins over Brighton and Everton came hours after City picked up victories.
But they were in 2025, this is 2026. The finish line is that little bit closer, the other cup competitions are starting to ramp up in intensity. More difficult questions will be asked and the anxiety of getting over the line will rise.
Arteta instead said Arsenal’s latest dropped points were linked to the lack of defensive solidity against one of the most chaotic teams in the Premier League in Brentford.
Brentford’s Keane Lewis-Potter scores against Arsenal
“We lacked certain things against them, you have to defend those situations, even better prevent them,” he said.
“You want to give them no chance or just hope that something bad happens and we didn’t manage that well enough for us throughout the game.”
But could that be linked to the pressure of playing after City? There were some moments in the Brentford game where Arsenal did not look themselves.
In the opening three minutes, Gabriel put a wayward pass behind for a Brentford corner- then put in multiple clumsy fouls, which nearly saw him sent off for two yellow cards.
In the build-up to Igor Thiago’s big first-half chance, which required a big save from David Raya, the Arsenal goalkeeper gave the ball away cheaply with a howler of a throw.
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David Raya made an horror of throw out to Mathias Jensen which caused immediate pressure on Arsenal’s goal, with a header from Brentford striker Igor Thiago but the Spaniard was able to redeem himself with magnificent save.
It was unlike him – and had a similar feel to that Martin Zubimendi error which led to Manchester United’s equaliser at the Emirates back in January.
Gabriel Martinelli has now missed big chances against Forest and Brentford – when he has shown he delivers in those high-pressure areas, most notably against Man City back in September.
Title races do funny things to players and it feeds to the idea that – despite Arsenal’s brilliant squad depth – City’s experience of getting over the line is the trump card they have over Arsenal.
Whether the scheduling matters or not, Arsenal will have to sort out their recent issue in ‘playing after City’ – and quickly.
While they face Wolves on Wednesday – their next Premier League game which City cannot respond to – Guardiola’s side play first in the two gameweeks after that.
Those games see Arsenal face two more London derbies that will ask similar questions to those they faced at Brentford.
A week on Sunday they face a Tottenham side that may have a ‘new-manager bounce’ following Thomas Frank’s exit, while a week later Chelsea come to the Emirates – and Liam Rosenior’s side showed they can create a nervy spectacle at the Emirates.
In the space of five days, Arsenal have gone from nine points clear at one stage to a four-point gap and City smelling blood. This title race is well and truly on.