Arsenal cruise past Brentford to return to Premier League summit

Arsenal climbed back to the top of the Premier League and avenged last year’s humbling at Brentford with a clinical 3-0 victory.

The Gunners were back at the scene of their dismal opening-day defeat last season, which pre-empted their worst start to a campaign for 67 years.

But they are a different team this term and proved it with an organised, inventive display and three well-taken goals from William Saliba, Gabriel Jesus and Fabio Vieira.

Such was Arsenal’s dominance that Mikel Arteta could even afford to give 15-year-old midfielder Ethan Nwaneri a late run-out as a substitute, making him the Premier League’s youngest player.

Arsenal skipper Granit Xhaka told Sky Sports: "We have a different mentality this season. We kept going and are training like we play and have class with the players that can make a difference.

"You have the class in the front and they make the difference. More than happy we are in a good way but a long way to go."

Brentford put four past Manchester United and five past Leeds at the Gtech Community Stadium in recent weeks, but they could not lay a glove on Arsenal with England new boy Ivan Toney an isolated presence in attack.

Gabriel Martinelli had already passed up a good chance when the Gunners took the lead in the 18th minute, Saliba’s glancing header from Bukayo Saka’s corner bouncing off the inside of the far post.

Bees keeper David Raya tried to scoop it out but the ball was well over the line and referee David Coote’s watch buzzed to indicate a goal.

Ten minutes later Jesus doubled the lead with another header, this time from a neat chip into the box from Xhaka.

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The second half began in a similar vein and when Saka laid the ball