As a makeshift striker, Mike Merino continued to lead Arsenal’s unlikely goal king in Wednesday’s 2-0 win against Brentford.
Due to injuries to Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, and Viktor Gyokores, Merino has been switched from a central midfielder to the fulcrum of Arsenal’s attack.
The Spain international has already scored five goals this season, including the Emirates Stadium’s opening header in the first half.
After scoring an equalizer at title rivals Chelsea on Sunday, Merino made a significant contribution to Arsenal’s title challenge for the second successive game.
In the closing moments, Merino and Bukayo Saka’s side moved five points clear of Manchester City, who defeated Fulham 5-4 on Tuesday.
As Arsenal fight for its first English title since 2004 they have won all 18 of their previous matches.
The Gunners are demonstrating the priceless ability to produce results when they aren’t at their best after finishing third in the Premier League for the previous three seasons.
After coming from behind to avoid losing to Chelsea on Sunday, Arteta was concerned that his players’ clash with Brentford might have an emotional and physical hangover.
Arteta urged Arsenal fans to “show up like animals” at the Emirates Stadium to cheer them on as they won.
In the end, Arsenal held on to their lead, but if his team could maintain pole position in the title race, the atmosphere was much more raucous than Arteta would have liked.
Martin Odegaard, Noni Madueke, and Ben White, who made his first league start since August, were dropped from the bench to keep them fresh ahead of the hectic Christmas schedule.
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Arsenal “grow it out,” yells yells, “grow it out.”
Brentford boss Keith Andrews did Arteta a favor by reserving prolific Brazilian forward Igor Thiago, keeping the Gunners’ first clean sheet in five games despite without injured centre-backs William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes.
In an effort to defuse Arsenal, Andrews used a back five, but Merino only needed 11 minutes to break through the visitors’ defense.
White was able to cross the ball with Madueke’s deft backheel, and the Spaniard carefully timed his run to avoid Caoimhin Kelleher from six yards.
Before White fired into the sidenetting, Madueke’s low drive was rejected by Kelleher as Arsenal made a second-quarter breakthrough.
When David Raya superbly tipped Kevin Schade’s thumping header from a corner onto the crossbar, Brentford almost pulled off an equalizer at the end of the match.
Although this season, Arsenal have only conceded two goals at home in the league, their defensive injuries got worse just before half-time when Cristhian Mosquera limped off.
Arsenal lost their stride as a result of Mosquera’s departure, and the second half turned into a futile second-half scheming.
Arsenal was immediately revived when Riccardo Calafiori’s blast was successfully saved by Kelleher when Arteta responded by introducing Saka and Eze.
The goalkeeper shoved a 20-yard rocket past Kelleher before firing it wide from close range to Merino.
In the final stages, Rice was forced to leave, which was a worrying scene for Arteta.
Saka’s stinging strike, which Kelleher could only parry into the net, ensured Arsenal wouldn’t miss the England international.
Source: Channels TV
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