Brentford 1 Arsenal 1: Lewis-Potter header secures draw against league leaders | OneFootball

Brentford came from behind to secure a 1-1 draw against Premier League leaders Arsenal at Gtech Community Stadium on Thursday night.

Noni Madueke headed the visitors in front on the hour mark, before Keane Lewis-Potter scored a header of his own 10 minutes later to ensure the points were shared in west London.

Keith Andrews made one change for Thursday night's clash, with Yehor Yarmoliuk replacing Jordan Henderson in midfield.

Former Brentford goalkeeper David Raya started for Arsenal, with ex-Bees captain Christian Nørgaard returning to Gtech Community Stadium for the first time, where he remained an unused substitute.

The first real chance of the game came on the 10-minute mark when Arsenal almost scored from a corner. Declan Rice delivered to the far post, where Gabriel headed towards goal from close range. Sepp van den Berg was there to match his fellow centre-back's aerial attempt with a header of his own, as he cleared the ball off the line and away.

Brentford had their first real opportunity just over 10 minutes later and, just as he had done for the Bees for so many years, Raya made an incredible save in TW8.

The Spaniard attempted to roll the ball out to team-mate Rice, but Mathias Jensen was sharp and robbed it off the Arsenal man. The midfielder then delivered a fantastic ball into Igor Thiago in the six-yard box - and the Brazilian couldn't do much more. His thumping header was low and goalbound, but Raya did phenomenally well to get down and beat the ball away.

Lewis-Potter produced a sublime bit of football on 53 minutes, when the winger's mazy run saw him beat three Arsenal players, before a pass to Dango Ouattara saw him feed Thiago, but the centre-forward's thunderous shot was blocked well by a Gunners defender.

Half-time substitute Martin Ødegaard had the visitors' first chance of the second half, when some neat football on the left saw the ball find its way to the Norwegian, but he blazed well over the bar.

And Mikel Arteta's side broke the deadlock on 61 minutes. A Piero Hincapié cross was whipped to the back post, where Madueke rose the highest to head the ball back across goal and past Caoimhín Kelleher to make it 1-0.

Brentford were so close to equalising from a near-identical scenario just a few minutes later. Jensen swung a corner to the back post and it was Lewis-Potter who was there, unmarked. The winger powerfully headed it down, into the ground, but it bounced just wide of the post.

The Bees had another chance soon after, when Thiago did superbly well on the counter attack. After Michael Kayode made a crucial intervention at one end, Vitaly Janelt won the ball and quickly played it forward to the league's second-top goalscorer. Thiago drove at his compatriot Gabriel and, using Ouattara as a decoy, found some space to shoot at goal, but it was saved again by Raya.

The hosts' pressure finally paid off when, after missing a headed chance earlier in the half, Lewis-Potter made amends by nodding home at the back post to equalise. A Kayode long throw, as standard, was launched into the box, which van den Berg flicked to the former Hull City man, who sent a diving header into the back of the net.

Keith Andrews' side were pushing for a winner and, with three minutes to go, Thiago was eyeing his 18th goal of the season. Another great pass from Janelt into the striker saw him one-on-one with the goalkeeper, before a fantastic recovery run and block from Cristhian Mosquera.

Thiago had one more chance in stoppage-time, when he was fed by Jensen, but his powerful effort was fired over the crossbar.

In an end-to-end finale, Kelleher made one of his best saves in a Brentford shirt at the death. Jurriën Timber broke into the final third and played the ball across to Gabriel Martinelli; the substitute looked in a prime position to score the winner, but a big, outstretched arm from the Bees' no.1 confirmed the draw.

Brentford: Kelleher; Kayode, Ajer, van den Berg, Henry (Hickey 90+5); Janelt, Yarmoliuk (Henderson 73), Jensen; Lewis-Potter (Damsgaard 73), Thiago, Ouattara

Subs not used: Valdimarsson, Pinnock, Collins, Donovan, Furo, Bentt

Arsenal: Raya; Timber, Mosquera, Gabriel; Hincapié (Calafiori 81); Eze (Ødegaard HT), Zubimendi, Rice; Madueke (Saka 70), Gyökeres, Trossard (Martinelli 81)

Subs not used: Arrizabalaga, White, Lewis-Skelly, Nørgaard, Jesus

Attendance: 17,224

Andrews: A game that had everything

Head coach Keith Andrews discussed his side's come-from-behind draw against Arsenal on Thursday night.

"It was a game that had everything," said the Bees head coach. "There was a lot of action.

"In the first half, I thought we were brilliant, played really well and were the better team. In the first 15-20 minutes of the second half, they were very good and gained control of it, which they can do because they're a top team.

"They got the goal but the way we reacted to that with the spirit, character and ability we showed was outstanding. If any team was going to win it, I felt it was probably going to be us.

"We were pushing and consistently looking like the team that was going to go on and win it."

Lewis-Potter on 'crazy' Arsenal draw

Keane Lewis-Potter shared his thoughts after netting Brentford's equaliser in a 1-1 draw against Arsenal.

"Towards the end of the game, it could have gone either way, and on another day, we win it," said the winger.

"It was a bit crazy, to be honest!

"It was nail-biting towards the end, obviously you can't do too much sat on the bench, but at the same time I've got full belief in the boys as we've got an unbelievable squad."

On responding to missing a chance a few minutes earlier by heading in the equaliser, he added: "You have to put it to the back of your mind and try and score the next one. Thankfully, I did that.

"I was disappointed I didn't score the first one and I tried to not let it eat away at me too much. When I got the second chance, I was not going to make the same mistake."