"It's going to be tight" – Mark Lawrenson has surprise scoreline predicted for Brentford vs Arsenal
Liverpool great Mark Lawrenson has predicted a shock 1-1 draw between Arsenal and Brentford in their Premier League match at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday (November 25).
Mikel Arteta's outfit, who secured 84 points to finish second in the Premier League last season, are third in the 2023-24 domestic table with 27 points from 12 outings. They will be looking to beat Brentford for the second time this season after beating them 1-0 in the EFL Cup.
The Bees, on the other hand, will be keen to move up to the top half of the Premier League table this weekend. They are currently in 11th place with 16 points from 12 matches, with a goal difference of +2.
In his column for UK-based betting website Paddy Power, Lawrenson insisted that Brentford are strong enough to earn a point against the Gunners this weekend. He wrote:
"You just feel with Brentford that they love playing against all the London teams, they seem to be able to do a job on most of them. I think it's going to be tight, I'll go for a draw. I don't know how many players Brentford had on international duty so I think they might be lying in wait for Arsenal."
Thomas Frank's side, who finished ninth in the domestic table last campaign, have lost just one of their last 10 home league matches. Their only defeat came against Everton during a 3-1 loss in September.
Moreover, Arsenal's upcoming opponents are currently unbeaten in all five of their Premier League games against fellow London clubs. They have defeated Chelsea, Fulham and West Ham United so far, while recording two draws against Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace.
However, Arsenal have a significant upper-hand over the Bees in terms of head-to-head record, registering four wins in their last six meetings.
Ex-Arsenal star believes Aaron Ramsdale's career could change positively on Saturday
Speaking on the Handbrake Off Podcast, ex-Arsenal star Adrian Clarke stated that Aaron Ramsdale has a big opportunity to turn his career around against Brentford. He said (h/t The Boot Room):
"In this match, he has to have a great game. If he performs, it could play into his favour. I've seen careers turn before on one game, we all have, where players have an unbelievable game and the manager changes their mind on them. A lot of people will be hoping it happens this weekend with Ramsdale against Brentford."
With summer arrival David Raya set to be available against his parent club, the 25-year-old is in line to start his first league encounter since September. He has made seven overall appearances this campaign.
Ramsdale, who was Arsenal's number one last season, has overseen two shutouts this season. Raya, on the other hand, has registered six clean sheets in 12 outings across competitions for Mikel Arteta's side.