EPL: Brentford blast away Arsenal

The English Premier League season kicked off with a dramatic upset.

Brentford made a blistering start to their first English top-flight season for 74 years, beating one of the top guns, Arsenal.

Goals from Sergi Canos and Christian Norgaard earned them a 2-0 win in front of a first-ever full house at the Brentford Community Stadium on Friday.

Brentford, also known as the Bees were roared on by 17,000 fans in west London in the first Premier League match at full capacity since March 2020.

Bees’ boss Thomas Frank whipped up the crowd into a frenzy before kick-off and Arsenal were soon suffering under the relentless pressing his side became famous for in the Championship.

Bryan Mbuemo drilled a shot off the outside of the post in the first warning shot from the home side before they took the lead on 22 minutes.

Ethan Pinnock fed Canos on the Brentford left and he cut inside to unleash a powerful shot that beat Bernd Leno at his near post.

Mbuemo then dragged another huge chance wide after turning Arsenal’s new £50 million signing Ben White with ease.

The Gunners were without both Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandra Lacazette due to illness, handing Folarin Balogun his Premier League debut.

Substitute Norgaard sealed the victory with another goal, 17 minutes from time.

Arsenal somehow let a long throw bounce inside their six-yard box and the Danish international gratefully headed into an unguarded net.

This result puts Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta under tremendous pressure, after their poor performance last season.