The brand new 12 months will kick off with fairly a Premier League fixture as Brentford host an Arsenal facet who wish to shift their assault into excessive gear. Whereas the Gunners’ protection has been rock strong this season, they’ve left a lot to be desired, solely scoring as soon as in opposition to Ipswich City and being shut out whereas going through Everton. The attacking woes are solely elevated with the period of time that Bukayo Saka will miss after present process surgical procedure. Whereas the January switch window will likely be open to start including reinforcements, none of them will likely be at Arsenal in time to raise them on this one. 

Listed here are our storylines, how one can watch the match and extra:

watch and odds

• Date: Wednesday, Jan. 1 | Time: 12:30 p.m.
• Location: Gtech Neighborhood Stadium — Brentford, Middlesex
• TV: USA  | Reside stream: Fubo TV (Attempt without cost)
• Odds: Brentford +600; Draw +230; Arsenal -230

Storylines

Brentford: Regardless of Brentford’s sturdy assault, outcomes have been exhausting to return by as of late. They knocked off Newcastle United at residence earlier than going winless of their final 4 matches. It will not get any simpler with Arsenal coming to city on a brief week, however to ascertain themselves as a real top-half workforce, Brentford might want to clear up their protection to win extra of those matches at residence. Ethan Pinnock and Kristoffer Ajer will not have the ability to return to assist whereas Ben Mee additionally picked up an damage. Keeper Mark Flekken will likely be a game-time choice, making issues even more durable on Thomas Frank.

Brentford predicted XI: Hakon Rafn Valdimarsson, Vitaly Janelt, Nathan Collins, Ji-Soo Kim, Kean Lewis-Potter, Yegor Yarmolyuk, Christian Norgaard, Mikkel Damsgaard, Mads Roerslev, Yoane Wissa, Bryan Mbeumo

Arsenal: Raheem Sterling will nonetheless be absent for this match however quite a lot of Arsenal’s damage points are the identical ones that they have been coping with. Ben White continues to be out together with Saka whereas Takehiro Tomiyasu may even be unavailable. Younger Myles Lewis-Skelly has been in a position to step up throughout this time however in opposition to more durable opposition like Brentford, expertise will likely be wanted.

Arsenal predicted XI: David Raya, Riccardo Calafiori, Gabriel, William Saliba, Jurrien Timber, Declan Rice, Thomas Partey, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus 

Prediction

Brentford have been sturdy at residence however Arsenal aren’t a workforce that anybody will wish to face with out their high defenders being accessible.  Decide: Brentford 1, Arsenal 3