Arsenal's Premier League title hopes suffered a setback as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Brentford on Thursday night, but the Gunners were arguably fortunate not to finish the match with ten men. Brentford manager Keith Andrews has claimed that Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes should have been sent off for a second bookable offence, which could have drastically altered the outcome of the tense encounter.
Controversial Decision Sparks Outrage
Gabriel Magalhaes received a yellow card from referee John Brooks in the 20th minute for an early foul. The Brazilian centre-back then appeared to commit another bookable offence in the 83rd minute when he brought down Brentford winger Dango Ouattara while stretching for the ball. Despite vociferous appeals from the Brentford bench and players, Brooks opted not to show a second yellow card, allowing Gabriel to remain on the pitch.
"I think it was a definite yellow," Andrews told TNT Sports after the match. "I just feel like the first few fouls always set the bar for how they referee the game - there's always that level isn't there? I felt a few times in the first half we weren't getting the rub of it."
Manager's Frustration Boils Over
The Brentford manager's frustration was evident throughout the match. Andrews was himself booked in the first half for complaining about decisions and could be heard shouting "f***ing shambles" at the officials. His anger resurfaced in the second half when Gabriel escaped punishment for what appeared to be a clear second yellow card offence.
"The attitude, application, and the intent I am big on that," Andrews added. "The intent always has to be right, it always has to be positive. Ability is one thing that brings you to a point, but as a collective you need good people."
Match Analysis: A Game of Two Halves
The match itself followed a familiar pattern for Arsenal this season. Noni Madueke's header put the Gunners ahead after 61 minutes, but Keane Lewis-Potter equalised with his own header from a long throw-in just minutes later. Both teams created good chances in the closing stages as the game became stretched, but neither could find a winner.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta acknowledged the difficult nature of the contest. "The game had moments. We started without the control and dominance we wanted but after that we got the rhythm and had situations to score," he told BBC Sport. "We started the second half brilliantly. We scored the goal and then we controlled the game but after that the game became chaotic."
Defensive Concerns for Arsenal
Arsenal were already without Gabriel's usual centre-back partner William Saliba, who missed the game through illness. Cristhian Mosquera replaced him and produced a well-timed sliding tackle to deny Igor Thiago a one-on-one chance late in the match. Goalkeeper David Raya was also busy against his former club, making several important saves to preserve a point for the visitors.
Arteta highlighted the specific challenges Brentford presented. "The moment you start to give away one or two free-kicks, the ball goes into the channels and it can go out for a throw and then it is a nightmare. They can throw the ball from anywhere on the pitch. You get into that game and it is very difficult to get out."
Title Race Implications
The draw means Arsenal's lead at the top of the Premier League table has been reduced to just four points after Manchester City's 3-0 win over Fulham on Wednesday night. While Andrews believed his side could have taken all three points against ten men, he was generally pleased with Brentford's performance.
"Didn't get the win, but I thought we were excellent. In most aspects for most of the game against a top, top team," Andrews said. "Martin Odegaard changed the dynamic of it and how they played. I thought we were excellent for the last 30 minutes and looked the team most likely to win."
The controversial decision involving Gabriel Magalhaes will undoubtedly fuel debate about refereeing standards in the Premier League, while Arsenal will be relieved to have escaped with a point from what could have been a much more damaging result in their title challenge.
