Kai Havertz scored his fourth goal in four games to win the match for Arsenal against Brentford as their free-scoring came to a halt but the points kept flowing.

Like most fans, I expected Arsenal to put quite a few past Brentford, brushing them aside with the ease with which they’d swatted every team they’d encountered since they returned from their magical trip to Dubai. How quickly the arrogance builds. Seven games before this one, to be precise.

Declan Rice, enjoying his best scoring season, put Arsenal ahead with a superb header to net his sixth of the season. That was Ben White‘s first assist of the night. A costly error from Aaron Ramsdale just before half-time allowed Yoane Wissa to equalise, a stutter in his step enough to cancel out Rice’s 19th minute opener.

Ramsdale‘s return to the side coincided with a team not quite at its sharpest as he displayed his best and worst traits to would-be suitors on what is likely to be his last appearance in an Arsenal shirt. Unless something happens to David Raya between now and the end of the season, that is.

The unlucky keeper certainly redeemed himself in the second half with two excellent saves, keeping Arsenal in the game when they could have easily found themselves behind, despite dominating every stat going.

Watching on, the game felt eerily familiar and the spectre of lost points loomed as Arsenal pressured Brentford‘s defence to little avail. Finally, with minutes left of normal time, their efforts paid off. Kai Havertz rose to meet Ben White‘s second delightful cross of the evening to power home a bullet of a header that went straight through the Brentford keeper, sending the Emirates Stadium into a frenzy. Everyone at home scared their neighbours. Havertz couldn’t have met it any sweeter, and we know, we’ve seen him try.

Arsenal’s hard-fought 2-1 victory over Brentford propelled them to the top of the Premier League table and means fans can relax somewhat as Liverpool welcome City on Sunday.

Arsenal have now won eight in a row, taking top spot, overnight at least.

Their next challenge is overcoming a 1-0 deficit against Porto in the Champions League on Tuesday night before facing Manchester City in a pivotal title clash next weekend.

Kai Havertz stats v Brentford

Kai Havertz proved instrumental in Arsenal‘s 2-1 victory over Brentford, showing his versatility and ever-improving finishing ability. The 24-year-old German forward played the full 90 minutes and scored his fourth goal in the last four Premier League games. He also has two assists in that time, too.

This season, he has already equalled two of his three seasons at Chelsea in terms of goals (9) and has two more assists than his final season there in nine fewer games.

Havertz’s attacking contributions were crucial once again, bringing so much more to the side than just goals and assists, although he also registered four shots with an impressive 67% accuracy rate. His relentless movement and positioning inside the box proved a constant threat to Brentford‘s defence. Though he didn’t register an assist, his ability to combine with teammates and create space was evident. His expected goals (xG) was 0.53.

Beyond scoring, Havertz demonstrated his full game. His passing accuracy reached 81%, contributing to Arsenal‘s control of possession which ended up at 72% for the game. He also displayed his physicality in aerial duels, winning 67% of those battles.

While not his primary focus, Havertz also made minor defensive contributions, with three recoveries and one ‘defensive action’ registered with the stats people.

Benny White-White-White

Ben’s White’s performance received a fotmob match-high rating of 8.7.

The English defender often finds himself overlooked in conversations about Arsenal’s incredible form since the turn of the year, but his two assists against Brentford doubled Benny Blanco’s assist tally for the season. He has two assists and one goal in his last two, now.

Three chances created, 89% of passes completed, six recoveries…why he isn’t getting picked by Gareth Southgate is still a mystery.

Arsenal’s title-winning form

Arsenal’s extraordinary winning streak in 2024 puts them in exclusive company among former Premier League champions. Their perfect eight-game start to the year mirrors the achievements of Manchester United (2009), Liverpool (2020), and Manchester City (2021), raising the tantalising possibility of another title for the Gunners. Their dominant performances, highlighted by a +29 goal difference, demonstrate the attacking strength and defensive solidity of a title-calibre team.

While nothing is certain in football, Arsenal’s current form and the historical precedent of similar winning streaks offer a glimmer of hope for their long-awaited title return. The challenge will be maintaining this momentum, but as fans know, it’s ultimately hope that keeps the dream alive. And eventually kills us.