Brentford 0-3 Arsenal: Ethan Nwaneri becomes youngest ever Premier League player as Gunners go top

Arsenal's Ethan Nwaneri became the youngest ever Premier League player aged 15 years and 181 days as the Gunners defeated Brentford to return to the top of the table.

Mikel Arteta sent on the schoolboy midfielder in the closing moments with his side leading 3-0.

Arsenal's travelling fans greeted Nwaneri's appearance by singing: "He's going to school in the morning."

William Saliba set Arsenal on their way to a sixth win in seven top-flight games this season after the France defender climbed high to head Bukayo Saka's corner in off the post.

It was 2-0 inside the opening half an hour as Brazil forward Jesus, a £45m signing from Manchester City in July, headed Granit Xhaka's measured chip past David Raya.

Portuguese midfielder Fabio Vieira capped a dominant Arsenal display by marking his first Premier League start since joining from Porto with a goal from 25 yards.

Brentford were unbeaten in their previous three games and could have climbed to fifth in the table with a win, but they rarely threatened as forward Ivan Toney, who has been called up by England for the first time, struggled for service.

Arsenal had started the weekend top of the table but dropped to third after Manchester City and Tottenham won on Saturday.

This win, however, put the Gunners on 18 points, one more than their nearest rivals before their next match against Spurs in the north London derby at Emirates Stadium on 1 October (12:30 BST).

Stylish Gunners show they mean business

Arsenal were bullied in the corresponding fixture last season and tamely went down 2-0 against newly promoted Brentford on the opening day of the 2021-22 campaign.

After that game, Brentford striker Toney made a slight dig at the Gunners by tweeting 'nice kick about with the boys', something Arsenal defender Gabriel was quick to revisit after Sunday's win.

A lot has changed since then and this is a very different Gunners team full of grit, determination and character.

After a first setback of the season at Manchester United in their previous Premier League game, all eyes were on how they would respond against a Brentford side that embarrassed United five weeks earlier.

Despite the absence of influential captain Martin Odegaard because of injury, they dominated from start to finish.

Gabriel Martinelli once again put in an eye-catching shift, Saliba was strong at the back while Saka, who also teed-up Vieira, finished with two assists as the Gunners swept to a third clean-sheet away win of the season.

Ben White, left out of the latest England squad, also played a key role while the margin of victory could have been more but for two fine saves by Raya at 3-0 to keep out Jesus and Saka.

Arsenal have not played in the Champions League since 2016-17.

There is still a long way to go, but signs look promising for Arteta as Arsenal continue to build on a strong start and give their supporters hope they can qualify for European club football's most prestigious competition.

Brentford second best

There has been no sign of "second-season syndrome" at Brentford after heavy wins over Manchester United and Leeds.

However, they were distinctly second best against Arsenal yet go into the international break in the top half of the table.

There has been much to celebrate at the club over the past 18 months, not least Toney becoming the first Bees player to be called up by England's senior team since 1939.

Toney went closest to scoring for the hosts following a free-kick but Brentford were below par as they failed to score in the Premier League for the first time since 2 May.

Brentford have come so far in a short space of time but this was a day to forget.

Player of the match

Gabriel JesusGabriel Jesus

Brentford

Squad number1Player nameRaya

Squad number2Player nameHickey

Squad number17Player nameToney

Squad number20Player nameAjer

Squad number16Player nameMee

Squad number18Player nameJansson

Squad number3Player nameHenry

Squad number27Player nameJanelt

Squad number10Player nameDasilva

Squad number19Player nameMbeumo

Squad number8Player nameJensen

Squad number24Player nameDamsgaard

Squad number26Player nameBaptiste

Squad number11Player nameWissa

Squad number15Player nameOnyeka

Line-ups

Brentford

Formation 3-5-2

1Raya

20Ajer18Jansson16Mee

2Hickey10Dasilva27Janelt8Jensen3Henry

19Mbeumo17Toney

Substitutes

Arsenal

Formation 4-2-3-1

1Ramsdale

4White12Saliba6Gabriel3Tierney

5Partey34Xhaka

7Saka21Ferreira Vieira11Martinelli

9Gabriel Jesus

Substitutes

Live Text

Match ends, Brentford 0, Arsenal 3.

Second Half ends, Brentford 0, Arsenal 3.

Substitution, Arsenal. Marquinhos replaces Bukayo Saka.

Substitution, Arsenal. Ethan Nwaneri replaces Fábio Vieira.

Attempt missed. Ivan Toney (Brentford) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Mikkel Damsgaard with a cross following a set piece situation.

Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Foul by Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal).

Aaron Hickey (Brentford) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Kieran Tierney (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Foul by Frank Onyeka (Brentford).

Attempt saved. Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is saved in the bottom right corner.

Substitution, Arsenal. Takehiro Tomiyasu replaces Ben White.

Albert Sambi Lokonga (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Foul by Frank Onyeka (Brentford).

Foul by Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal).

Kristoffer Ajer (Brentford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Offside, Brentford. Mikkel Damsgaard tries a through ball, but Yoane Wissa is caught offside.

Offside, Brentford. Mikkel Damsgaard tries a through ball, but Ivan Toney is caught offside.

Foul by Bukayo Saka (Arsenal).

Frank Onyeka (Brentford) wins a free kick on the left wing.

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