Brentford’s Yoane Wissa strikes to bring Arsenal back down to earth

The last time we were here, on Tuesday night, Arsenal enjoyed surely the finest occasion in Emirates Stadium history. The 3-0 win over Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final will live forever; the return is eagerly awaited on Wednesday.

It was always going to be lower-key here, Mikel Arteta making five changes to his team and watching them labour. The blood and thunder of the Madrid tie, the sheer drama, was missing.

It was a slog for Arsenal and as the hour mark approached, Arteta knew he had to do something. He readied three stellar substitutes – Miles Lewis-Skelly, Martin Ødegaard and Bukayo Saka. Perhaps, it was their presence on the touchline that provided the inspiration. Or maybe it was just that Declan Rice is having the week of his life. Either way, Arsenal were in front before Arteta could make the triple change.

David Raya claimed a Brentford corner and when he threw out to Rice, the midfielder was just outside his own area. What followed was a devastating run to the edge of the Brentford box and a pass to the overlapping Thomas Partey, who did the rest.

Game over? Not at all. Brentford were always in this game, even if they did not always impose themselves. Yoane Wissa plundered a fine equaliser, firing home on the turn and, try as Arsenal did, push as they did, that was that. So, back to Madrid …

It was impossible to escape the feeling that this was an interlude for Arsenal. What had been before last Tuesday was epic; what lies ahead in Madrid is tantalising and Arteta was always going to make changes, to get the cotton wool out for some of his stars. Jurrien Timber, Lewis-Skelly, Ødegaard, Saka and Mikel Merino were among the substitutes.

There were huge cheers for Rice when his name was announced before kick-off, more when Arsenal’s hero of the first leg against Madrid went to take an early corner. But the atmosphere was otherwise subdued for much of a room temperature first half, a little hungover as Arteta’s makeshift line-up sized up Brentford and looked to make their own connections.

Towards the top of Arteta’s list of priorities was the avoidance of injuries, which was probably why he reacted so explosively to a Christian Nørgaard challenge on Gabriel Martinelli in the 28th minute. It was a scissors-style foul by the Brentford captain, who was booked for it. Arteta ranted at the fourth official.

Arteta had started with Partey at right-back, Kieran Tierney at left-back and Oleksandr Zinchenko as a No 8/No 10. There was a surge of excitement on 26 minutes when Tierney flicked home a fine header from an Ethan Nwaneri cross but he was clearly in an offside position, which was duly confirmed by the VAR. Tierney’s last goal was against FC Zurich in the Europa League in November 2022.

Brentford had created a clear chance in the 22nd minute, Bryan Mbeumo releasing Kristoffer Ajer with a lovely flick only for the defender to be denied by a Raya block. That was the sum total of their attacking threat before the interval.

It was hard to find much to like about Arsenal in the first half, although they were the better team, certainly more forward-thinking. After the firecracker intensity of the Madrid tie, it was pedestrian and predictable. William Saliba did release Martinelli with a wonderful fizzed ball over the top towards the end of the period, which the winger killed with a good first touch. Ajer made a saving tackle on him. Leandro Trossard, playing in the No 9 role, would also work Mark Flekken.

Thomas Partey’s shot beats Mark Flekkento give Arsenal the lead. Photograph: Neil Hall/EPA

Nottingham Forest’s home loss to Everton from earlier in the day had removed a further measure of jeopardy from the game. Forest have emerged as Arsenal’s biggest rivals for the runners-up position, albeit Arteta’s team had a comfortable cushion anyway. There is no doubt that the league felt like an after-thought for the Arsenal fans here.

Brentford had won five of their previous six away matches, even if the one before this was the loss at Newcastle.

Their fine home form from the early part of the season has evaporated but their solidity on their travels has compensated. What had to gall Thomas Frank was how they were exposed on the counterattack for the breakthrough goal.

It had to be Rice at the heart of it and once he had lengthened his stride, leaving Mikkel Damsgaard in his wake, Brentford were stretched. Credit to Partey, as well. He ran hard up the inside right channel and when he received the ball from Rice, there was no doubt about the finish.

Brentford would fare rather better on another corner. Rice made a clearing header but when the visitors worked the ball back to the right, it was Mbeumo who released the substitute, Michael Kayode, and his cross was floated to the back post. Nathan Collins headed back and Wissa, having watched the bounce, spun and lashed home.

Saka had Arsenal’s best chance to score again when he robbed Flekken after the goalkeeper had taken a poor touch. Kayode, though, raced back to make the tackle.