This archive report was first published on 14 August 2021.
On August 13, 2021, Brentford made a stunning start to the Premier League season by defeating Arsenal 2-0 in their opening game. The match saw Christian Norgaard and Sergi Canos score crucial goals for the home team.
Brentford manager Thomas Frank was full of praise for the home fans, describing their performance as a '10/10' in terms of atmosphere. He said, "The fans were absolutely amazing. That was more than a 10/10 performance in terms of atmosphere. Constant singing. Amazing. If there was only one man-of-the-match, it's the fans. I can’t name one of the team, they were all top."
Frank also commended his team for sticking to their principles and playing at pace, which he believed was a key factor in their victory. "I thought we deserved the win. What I liked was how brave we were, pressing high and trying to play," he said.
On the other hand, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was left disappointed with his team's performance. He acknowledged that his side did not deserve to win and praised the young players who made their Premier League debut. "We started the season against a good opponent. I don’t think we deserved anything different," he said.
Arteta also revealed that the absence of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette due to illness was a significant factor in his team's defeat. He expressed uncertainty over when the duo would return to action, but emphasized their importance to the team's upcoming fixtures against Chelsea and Manchester City.
