Three Lessons Learned From Arsenal’s Latest Title-Chasing Wobble

The Gunners have dropped points in four of their seven Premier League games in 2026.

Arsenal’s lead at the top of the table is now just four points. | Vince Mignott/MB Media/Getty Images

Oh, how the narrative would’ve been different had Gabriel Martinelli lifted his effort over an onrushing Caoimhín Kelleher. We’d be lauding an Arsenal smash-and-grab win at Brentford; a triumph depicting their championship pedigree.

However, the Brazilian’s strike was smothered by the former Liverpool goalkeeper, ensuring the Gunners didn’t claim a victory they certainly didn’t deserve. Brentford were superb on Thursday night, limiting their opponents in a way that so very few have since Mikel Arteta evolved his team from top-four hopefuls into perennial title contenders.

The 1–1 draw means Arsenal’s lead is just four points with 12 games to go. The Gunners have squandered multiple opportunities to squeeze the life out of this title race in 2026, but they keep finding ways of offering a flawed Manchester City team hope.

Dropping points at the Gtech Community Stadium is hardly uncommon for the division’s top dogs, but it was the nature of Arsenal’s performance that would’ve concerned plenty ahead of the run-in.

Here are three things we learned from Thursday night’s gripping stalemate.

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1. Kai Havertz’s Absence Felt

Havertz has picked up a muscle injury. | Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC/Getty Images

Kai Havertz had hit the ground running upon his return to action from a long-term knee injury at the start of the calendar year, but the German was rocked by another fitness setback in the lead-up to Thursday’s game.

Havertz is expected to miss the rest of February with a muscle issue, and judging by Arsenal’s showing in west London, he is a player Arteta can ill-afford to be without in crunch time.

While Mikel Merino was able to mitigate Havertz’s absence during the first-half of the season, the Spaniard is also on the sidelines after undergoing foot surgery. As a result, Arteta handed Eberechi Eze a rare Premier League start in the No. 10 role, while Viktor Gyökeres returned to the starting lineup up top.

The Swede entered the contest in good goalscoring form, but he remains an eyesore for anyone tuning in. Excluding the deft lofted pass for Jurriën Timber in stoppage time, which set up Martinelli’s big chance, there was little by way of facilitation and combination play. The clunky, clumsy centre-forward was easily marshalled by Sepp van den Berg, with Gyökeres ending the night with a 47% pass completion from just 17 attempts and 29 touches, the fewest among all starters—per FotMob.

Gyökeres can kick the ball really hard, but he’s anything but a title-winning centre forward. There are just too many flaws that are unlikely to be improved at this stage of his career. He is what he is, and teams, realising that, don’t need to pay anywhere near as much attention to him as they may have done at the start of the season, thus inhibiting the rest of Arsenal’s attack.

Havertz’s ability to ghost in the box, compete fiercely in duels and press efficiently is sorely missed. Arsenal desperately need him back in March.

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2. “Magic Moments” Playmaker Failing to Deliver

Eberechi Eze was hooked at half-time. | Rob Newell/CameraSport/Getty Images

With Havertz injured and Martin Ødegaard recovering from a minor muscle injury of his own in the week, Arteta handed £67.5 million ($91.9 million) summer addition Eze his first start since Dec. 13.

Amid his fairytale arrival, Arteta lauded the English playmaker, who spearheaded Crystal Palace’s FA Cup success at the end of last season, as someone capable of producing “magic moments” to add another string to his side’s bow.

So far, though, Eze has been nothing short of a one game wonder. To be fair, he did save his very best for a big occasion—the North London Derby—but Tottenham were dire under Thomas Frank. Since then, Eze’s been involved in one Arsenal goal across all competitions, and that came against Bayern Munich just three days after the derby. He’s been anonymous for a while.

That was the case again on Thursday night. Eze drifted through proceedings bereft of intent. The playmaker was part of a laboured first pressing line that allowed Brentford comfort in the build-up, and he seldom looked magical with the ball at his feet. Few would’ve recognised his presence in the first-half, and Arteta turned to his captain to provide inspiration after the restart.

Eze was regarded among the missing pieces who’d finally help Arsenal across the line when he signed last summer, but the Gunners have been successful this term in spite of their key additions in attack.

It was no less than the hosts deserved, with Arsenal limited to just four corners and Brentford able to deal with that threat with relative ease. They’ve conceded just four set-piece goals in the league all season, and their agricultural approach when the opportunity arose to load the box forced ironic complaints to referee John Brooks from the flustered David Raya.

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3. Bitter Taste of Own Medicine

Arsenal were undone by a long throw. | Glyn KIRK/AFP/Getty Images

Opta stats tell us Arsenal lead the Premier League with 15 set-piece goals this season, and over 30% of their total goals scored have come from dead-ball situations—the fourth-highest rate in the division.

The Gunners’ supposed set-piece reliance has been a source of derision among envious rival supporters, who have come to regard Arteta’s side as the antithesis of what a dominant champion should look like.

“Set-piece again, ole, ole!” Arsenal supporters defiantly chant in response, but there was an absence of such cries from the away end on Thursday night. In fact, the Gunners were undone by Brentford’s secret weapon.

Michael Kayode’s rocket launcher of a throw makes anything Rory Delap once produced appear incredibly tame. The former Fiorentina defender is having an excellent season, and his ability from the touchline has only enhanced the Bees’ long throw threat.

Since October 2022, Brentford have scored more than double the number of any other Premier League team from long throws. Their equaliser against Arsenal, which saw Sepp van den Berg flick on Kayode’s launch for Keane Lewis-Potter at the back post, was their 13th of the sort in that time frame.

It was no less than the hosts deserved, with Arsenal limited to just four corners and Brentford able to deal with that threat with relative ease. They’ve conceded just four set-piece goals in the league all season, and their agricultural approach when the opportunity arose to load the box forced ironic complaints to referee John Brooks from the flustered David Raya.

Perhaps Keith Andrews’ side are the true set-piece kings?

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