"The ball was perfect and I scored" - Kai Havertz lauds Arsenal teammate for his role in crucial matchwinning goal against Brentford
Arsenal matchwinner Kai Havertz hailed Bukayo Saka for his assist, which enabled the Gunners to defeat Brentford 1-0 in their Premier League clash at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday, November 25.
Mikel Arteta and Co. didn't have the most convincing of performances and were rescued by a pair of brilliant goal-line clearances by Declan Rice (14') and Oleksandr Zinchenko (77').
Leandro Trossard thought he had given Arsenal the lead in the 42nd minute, but his goal was ruled out for offside. Just when it appeared as if the game was heading towards a stalemate, Havertz struck.
Bukayo Saka delivered a delightful cross from the right flank, dissecting the Bees' defense. An unmarked Kai Havertz headed home from close range at the back post to secure all three points for the Gunners.
The £65 million summer signing has struggled for form this season but reaped the benefits of his hard work yesterday. He spoke to Match of the Day and said (via The Boot Room):
“These late winners are nice and then to celebrate in front of the fans it was a good feeling for sure. The cross was amazing and I thought maybe why not do this run and the ball was perfect and I scored.”
Arsenal are now at the top of the Premier League table with 30 points from 13 games. Manchester City remain in second with 29 points following their 1-1 draw against Liverpool on Saturday, while the Reds are third with 28 points.
Brentford vs Arsenal: Exploring the stats from Premier League fixture
Arsenal dug deep to secure an important, hard-fought 1-0 win against Brentford away from home on Saturday. Let's take a look at the stats to see how both teams performed.
Mikel Arteta's men dominated possession with 64% of the ball. They also attempted a total of 508 passes with an accuracy of 81%. In contrast, Brentford had 36% possession and attempted 298 passes with an accuracy of 64%.
Both sides look threatening up front, with the Gunners landing a total of 15 shots, with four being on target. On the other hand, the Bees had fewer chances, with nine shots in total, three being on target. However, they had multiple chances to secure the win and will be furious at themselves for not being prolific enough.