Havertz Ends Goal Drought To Fire Arsenal Into First Place

Kai Havertz sent Arsenal to the top of the Premier League as the German’s last-gasp goal clinched a hard-fought 1-0 win at Brentford on Saturday.

Havertz was a Champions League final hero for Chelsea in 2021, but he has endured a torrid time since crossing London to join Arsenal in the close-season.

The 24-year-old midfielder finally gave a glimpse of why Mikel Arteta splashed out £65 million ($80 million) to sign him when he headed home in the closing minutes.

Havertz’s second goal for Arsenal was his first in his last 10 appearances, moving his team one point clear of second-placed Manchester City, who were held to a 1-1 draw by third-placed Liverpool earlier in the day.

Arsenal’s third successive win in all competitions proved they have erased the bitter taste of their controversial VAR-aided defeat at Newcastle earlier in November.

Arteta’s men had already won at the Gtech Community Stadium in the League Cup in September and they left it late before making it another successful trip to west London.

With on-loan Arsenal keeper David Raya not eligible to play against his parent club, Aaron Ramsdale made his first league start since September 3.

Ramsdale’s father recently criticised Arteta’s handling of the Arsenal goalkeeping controversy, with the England international surprisingly losing his place to Raya despite recording the second-most Premier League clean sheets last season.

But Arteta’s faith in Raya received a boost when Ramsdale, his confidence clearly affected by his spell on the bench, almost gifted Brentford the lead with a horrendous mistake early in the first half.

Trying to play out from the six-yard box after Gabriel’s back pass, Ramsdale panicked under pressure from Yoane Wissa.