Arsenal

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Mikel Arteta spoke to BBC Match of The Day after Arsenal's draw against Brentford: "It is disappointing because we lost two points. From what we did in the game, how we dominated and what we conceded I think we did a enough to win the game. Against Brentford if you don't defend the first or second actions well on set pieces then they are going to punish you big time. That is what happened.

"We had an open goal with Bukayo after and we did not make it 2-0 and then with 1-0 the game is always open. Very disappointed with the way that we conceded the goal."

On struggling to create: "It is always the case because they are well organised, so to constantly create chances on their goal is very tricky. We could have done better in many situations to finish the actions. When you do that and you score one goal it should be enough to win the game but we haven't managed to see it through."

On Jorginho's injury: "I don't know. He said he could not breathe properly so it might be to do with one of the ribs. It is strange because he normally carries on so that means it is something significant I think."

"[Minds on Wednesday?] The way we did the game certainly not. The way the feeling was with the players, certainly not. To prepare well you have to play as well as possible and win the next game."

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Arsenal have dropped 16 points from winning positions this season – just one fewer than they had in the past two campaigns combined (eight in 2022-23, nine in 2023-24).

Were you at Emirates Stadium or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Arsenal's performance

What did you make of Brentford's display?

Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies

I wanted Arsenal to try to push Liverpool in the title race but boss Mikel Arteta clearly knew something I did not, resting his players against Everton last weekend and then demolishing Real Madrid the way they did.

Arteta will make changes again here before Wednesday's second leg at the Bernabeu, and the fact it will not be the Gunners' strongest side makes this quite hard to predict.

Brentford are very capable but I have a feeling the Gunners will still have enough to win, even though they are prioritising Europe now.

Sutton's prediction: 2-1

Read the full predictions and have your say

Five matches make up Saturday's Premier League action and BBC Sport will bring you every kick.

• Manchester City v Crystal Palace (12:30)

• Brighton v Leicester City

• Nottingham Forest v Everton

• Southampton v Aston Villa

• Arsenal v Brentford (17:30)

Kick-off times 15:00 BST unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

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There are lots of different perspectives in terms of how you watch a game of football, and I think for the majority of time the people in the stadium get the best atmosphere, but the worst views of how a game has actually gone.

You don't really get the chance to see multiple replays and have discussions about things, because you just get caught up in the moment.

With the incoming semi automated offsides, they did promise it earlier in the season - but I think the caveat was they're only going to do it when it's ready.

It is a positive that they didn't do it when it wasn't ready.

One upside to to the new technology is some of the arguments disappear. Previously you could say 'but it looks like it's this to me' or 'it looks like it's that to me'. When it is presented now, there aren't many people that will then be looking at the animation, going back to the video, and then going down a proper conspiracy rabbit hole.

So, it ends more arguments, not all arguments, but more arguments.

I think people, as a consequence, will be more accepting of it.

But, I still do believe that there's things for people to understand, because it can't be used in every situation. There are certain decisions which can still be a little bit more complex, and there's certain times where human intervention will still need to be brought in.

I wouldn't say it's as clear as, say, goal line technology, but it's a step in the direction to where most people feel more comfortable accepting the outcome and the speed of it as well will be encouraged.

It's not to say that it's going to be instant. If you believe this is going to be perfect, and always extremely fast, ask yourself, why do you think that?

Unless somebody has told you that from PGMOL, then take it with a pinch of salt and you see how it goes.

I think it's something that many people have seen before so hopefully there will be fewer arguments.

But, because it's football, there'll always be something to argue about the end of the day.

Alex Howell
BBC Sport football news reporter

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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has said he loved that Declan Rice did not listen to instructions when he scored his two free-kicks against Real Madrid in their memorable Champions League victory on Tuesday.

Arsenal set-piece coach Nicolas Jover wanted Rice to cross the ball into the area but the England midfielder curled an effort around the wall to give the Gunners the lead.

"I love it, especially when it goes in the back of the net, instead of losing it on the counter attack!" Arteta said.

"They have to make the decision. We are here to help them, to paint the picture of what the options are, but I loved it.

"When we talk about taking the next step, it is a lot about that. Taking the initiative.

"Making things happen on the pitch and believing you can actually win the game by yourself sometimes. I was really impressed with the way he did it."

Alex Howell
BBC Sport football news reporter

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Mikel Arteta has said that he is "very glad" Bukayo Saka says he wants to stay at Arsenal.

The 23-year-old made his first start since returning from injury in the 3-0 win over Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final first leg and won both free kicks that Declan Rice scored from.

Saka enters the final two years of his contract this summer but said prior to the Madrid match that he "wants to win wearing this badge".

"So humble, so simple, very committed to the club, obviously has very deep roots connected to this football club and with a lot of other people here, so I'm very glad to hear that he wants to stay with us and win with us," Arteta said when asked about Saka's comments.

The winger, who caused Madrid defender David Alaba problems throughout Tuesday's 3-0 win, was taken off after 74 minutes and Arteta says it is another step as he works his way back to full fitness.

"He gives us a level of threat, connection and unpredictability that probably no other player at the moment can provide, especially with the connection that he's already built in and around the team," Arteta said.

"And he has the power to lift the stadium, which is something incredible, because shifting the energy in the stadium is something really difficult to do, and a player who is able to do that, that's a great addition, a great quality to have."

Nat Hayward
BBC Sport journalist

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game at home to Brentford (17:30 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Arteta said there has been "an unbelievable energy" around the club since the 3-0 win over Real Madrid on Tuesday: "Obviously it was a very special night. That's over and now the full focus is on Brentford because it is a game that will require the best of us."

• He confirmed Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka are "both fit" and "both available" after being substituted on Tuesday, while Riccardo Califiori is "progressing really well" and is "in a good place, but "giving a timeline is difficult".

• Arteta is "hopeful" Kai Havertz can return before the end of the season.

• On Saka's impact after his return from injury: "He gives us a level of threat, connection and unpredictability that no other player can provide. He has the power to lift the stadium, which is incredible because shifting the energy in a stadium is something that is really difficult to do and when a player is able to do that, that is a great quality to have."

• On Saka's future: "He is so humble, very committed to the club and has very deep roots connected to this football club. I am very glad to hear that he wants to stay with us and win with us."

• How many days off after the win over Madrid?: "Just one. I think they were very happy with that. We had a day off because it was the best way to recover and prepare."

• On opponents Brentford: "When you look at what they have done it is remarkable and a beautiful story. They are a club that we can learn a lot from because the way they did it is very clever and the way they maintained it is very impressive."

• On Thomas Frank: "More than respect, admiration. He's done it at a football club where everyone shares the vision. The way he has sustained and evolved with the model is really well timed in my opinion."

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Listen to live commentary of Arsenal v Brentford on BBC Radio 5 Live from 17:30 on Saturday

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Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka knows how to "pick his moment in a genius way" while breakout star Ethan Nwaneri has "no fear", says former defender Ainsley Maitland-Niles.

A fellow Gunners academy graduate who is just four years older than Saka, Maitland-Niles saw the 23-year-old progress to becoming the key player he now is for Arsenal.

"I saw him coming through from when he was a little kid and he has really pushed on in the last four years," Maitland-Niles told BBC Sport.

"He has become one of the world's best wingers, very consistent, knows how to kill off a game and he can pick his moment in a genius way.

"I think [Arsenal] now rely on him a bit too much and you can't expect so much from such a young player. He hasn't even hit his prime yet. But, I think he is the driving force of the team and they miss a bit of attacking threat when he is not playing."

Maitland-Niles has become a key player to Ligue 1 side Lyon since joining in 2023, however, as a childhood Arsenal fan, he still watches the side today.

Like many, he has been impressed by winger Nwaneri who, after becoming the youngest player to represent the men's first team in September 2022 aged 15, has become a regular this campaign.

"Physically, he is absolutely incredible to watch. There is no fear in the kid," Maitland-Niles said.

"He is just going at people and trying to make things happen. You can see he is trying to become a leader very early in that team. He is trying to cement his place, which is difficult as he plays in the same positions as [Martin] Odegaard and Saka.

"He has the ability to do it, definitely, it is just whether he can keep his place when the big guns come back and are firing again.

"He has the world in front of him and he just needs to take it."

Read more from Maitland-Niles here

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Arsenal's pre-season plans for the upcoming summer have been confirmed as the North London club are set to take on Italian giants AC Milan and Carabao Cup winners Newcastle United.

Mikel Arteta and his players will travel to Singapore for these two games and will play Milan on 23 July and Newcastle on 27 July. Both games are set to be played in front of 55,000 fans at the National Stadium in Singapore.

Arsenal will conclude their Asian tour with a friendly against Tottenham in Hong Kong on 31 July.

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With eight goals and seven assists, Arsenal's Bukayo Saka has been directly involved in 15 goals in his past 17 London derby appearances in the Premier League.

He has been involved in 12 goals in his past 11 home games for Arsenal in the Premier League (six goals, six assists),

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Former Arsenal defender Ainsley Maitland-Niles feels the club might have been "a bit hasty" when they let Unai Emery go but did hire a "footballing genius" in Mikel Arteta.

Maitland-Niles, who now plays for Ligue 1 side Lyon, came through the Gunners' academy after joining at the age of six.

The 27-year-old made his senior debut as a teenager in the 2014-15 season and became a regular under Emery, who managed the team from May 2018 to November 2019.

"Emery was really good for Arsenal and you can see now with what he is doing with Aston Villa that he is a great manager," Maitland-Niles told BBC Sport.

"Maybe when they [Arsenal] look back, they might think it was a bit hasty, but for the players we gelled with him and we enjoyed having him. Maybe his time was cut short but they replaced him with a footballing genius in Arteta.

"He really studied how Pep [Guardiola] took football to new heights as one of the best managers in the world. He really, really studied how to break down teams and be most effective in games. Arsenal are showing that at this point.

"They are not coming close enough to win the league but you can see they are making big, big improvements by going close two years in a row.

"I had respect for him as a manager, I thought he was a tactical genius but it was an average player-manager relationship, not especially close."

The academy graduate thought he would be at his boyhood club his entire life, however, injury and lack of playing time led him to leave on a free transfer in 2023.

Maitland-Niles did taste cup success with the club and started in the 2020 FA Cup final win over Chelsea.

"To do it with Arsenal, my boyhood club - I still watch them to this day," Maitland-Niles said.

"It was fantastic, a dream come true to be able to win a trophy that night with the team I grew up with and watching. It was an amazing feeling, I can't describe it.

"It is every boys dream winning something like that, especially with Arsenal, a dream since five or six years of age, so to go out and actually achieve that was something that will stay with me for the rest of my life and something I will be thankful for."

Read more from Maitland-Niles here

Arsenal and Liverpool are looking at alternatives to Alexander Isak, with Newcastle United adamant they won't sell their 25-year-old striker. (i paper), external

Chelsea are leading the race to sign 19-year-old Sunderland midfielder Jobe Bellingham, ahead of Arsenal, Brighton, Crystal Palace, Manchester United and Tottenham. (Caught Offside), external

Want more transfer news? Read Thursday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

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We asked for your views on whether Arsenal should be renewing Thomas Partey's contract.

Here are some of your comments:

Eric: Partey is one of those players who divides opinion. When he is fit, and that is an issue, he is one of the best defensive midfielders in Europe. The problem is that he spends too much time in the treatment room. Arteta also uses him as a full back which is often a disaster. He is worth a new contract but not on his current salary, especially with the expected new arrivals.

Caleb: It is pivotal for Arsenal to give Partey a new contract. He has been an anchor for us in terms of experience and distribution of the ball.

Kanairo: Arsenal would be crazy to let Partey leave as they have no other player like him. He doesn't panic in midfield, uses space cleverly and wins so many tackles. The team isn't the same when he doesn't start in midfield. His experience is crucial too if Arsenal hope to win trophies next season and such experience cannot be replaced. Give him another contract, otherwise the top Italian and Spanish clubs are waiting to take him on a free.

Stuart: I think he is a fantastic player in this system for us and offers real balance. He isn't getting younger but we don't have another player to fill that role so I think we should keep him - the question is will he stay on realistically reduced terms as he's aging. If we have plans to replace him, I'd still think he's got a role to play from the bench and for cup rotation for sure - he's also versatile enough to play right-back for us which in our current squad is a valuable asset!

Paul: I don't think we should keep Partey. When fully fit, he's one of our best players. Unfortunately he's injured a lot, and when he's in that infamous red zone before an injury (and in his first few games back after an injury) his performances drop. We need to invest in someone more reliably available.

Will: He's a great player but he's never gone a season at Arsenal without some major injury at a key point. It's good to see what he looks like when he has momentum. But I think we need to move on in the summer, if only because I don't trust that he'll be injury free as he gets older and that we need to keep evolving and not get tied to an aging (if elite) player. Also, definitely don't want to see him at right back ever again.