Kai Havertz heads late winner as Arsenal go top with win over Brentford | Premier League

As Kai Havertz’s late header hit the back of the net, the palpable sense of relief across the red half of north London was felt no stronger than by the lone man standing inside the Arsenal half.

For much of this game, Aaron Ramsdale looked to have single-handedly cost his side Premier League top spot with a mistake of epic proportions. But, as dread coursed through the Emirates stands with every passing minute, Arsenal grabbed a crucial winner.

With Liverpool and Manchester City meeting on Sunday afternoon, it was a win that could yet prove decisive in the destination of the title in a couple of months’ time. An eighth successive league win and none more desperate, hard-fought or important.

It was courtesy of nothing more than fortuitous loan regulations that the lesser-spotted Ramsdale was even granted what was only his second Premier League start since early September – the other also coming against Brentford when loanee David Raya was unable to face his parent club.

The out-of-favour goalkeeper would have been desperate to catch the eye as he ponders a likely future away from the Emirates. That he did so was in no doubt, but in the worst manner possible.

So dominant had Arsenal been for almost every kick of the opening half that the 1-0 scoreline they held in the final minute of first-half stoppage time was a scant reflection of the gulf between the two sides. Yet just as the referee was contemplating bringing an end to proceedings, Ramsdale dropped a clanger that will surely end any lingering hopes of resurrecting his Arsenal career.

Under no pressure when Gabriel passed the ball back to him, Ramsdale’s first touch was sufficient to select the target of his choosing. If only the speed of his thought-process had been in sync with his right foot.

The Arsenal goalkeeper paid the ultimate price for lingering on the ball an unfathomably long time, allowing the tenacious Yoane Wissa to fling himself in front of his long-delayed, eventual clearance. As the ball ricocheted back towards his goal, Ramsdale had a moment to ponder the cost of his error while watching it sail into the empty net. “You’re just a shit David Raya,” chanted the exultant travelling fans.

The west Londoners had previously been silent for the entirety of an opening period in which they were fortunate not to see their side fall further than just a lone goal behind.

Hamstrung by injuries that has blighted their campaign, Thomas Frank had plumped only to replace Sergio Reguilón from the starting XI that had battled to a 2-2 draw against Chelsea last weekend. So intense were most of Arsenal’s flowing attacking exploits that the Spaniard could have been forgiven for showing an element of thanks to the hamstring injury that ruled his involvement out.

Keane Lewis-Potter, Reguilón’s unfortunate replacement, was given the hapless task of attempting to shackle Bukayo Saka, Martin Ødegaard and Ben White, whose joy down the right was evident from the outset.

That Arsenal had broken a short-lived deadlock from a goal created down that side came as no surprise, even if the manner of it was a marginal eyebrow raiser. Eschewing the usual intricate trigonometry that was on display at regular intervals, Saka opted to lay the ball back to White, who had ample time to clip the simplest of crosses for Declan Rice to attack with venom. His header was emphatic and highlighted the host’s versatility.

Arteta’s side had multiple chances to go further ahead before half-time, the best of which arrived through their own delicious brand of route-one football provided by Jorginho’s delightful knock, which set Havertz free behind the Brentford defence. Alas, the German fluffed a prime opportunity, dinking over Mark Flekken but wide of the far post.

No sooner had 10 minutes passed after a half-time breather in which he would have wished nothing more than for an entirely uneventful second period than Ramsdale’s heart was again in his mouth.

Having carefully watched a long ball over his shoulder, potential Arsenal target Ivan Toney unleashed a wicked bouncing first-time shot from 35 yards that looked destined to fly over Ramsdale’s head from his position near the penalty spot.

Thankfully for the Arsenal goalkeeper, his desperate backtracking dive was sufficient to palm the ball wide at full stretch.

A Brentford goal would – yet again – have come against the run of play and, to a backdrop of an increasingly frantic Emirates support, Arsenal quickly came close to regaining their lead. Gabriel’s header looked goalbound, only for Vitaly Janelt to halt its path on the goal-line.

With tension rising, Ramsdale – seemingly intent on filling every segment of his matchday bingo card – pulled off a blinding save to deny Nathan Collins’s header, before Rice curled beautifully against the intersection between crossbar and post from 25 yards.

And then, finally, with hope slipping away, the cork was unleashed. White played a simple one-two with Ødegaard, before crossing for Havertz to nod home unmarked from close range. Arsenal’s run continues, just about.