Arsenal welcome Brentford to the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday evening in the Premier League as the Gunners seek to get back to winning ways
Ryan Taylor
16:57, 02 Dec 2025
Igor Thiago
View 2 Images
Igor Thiago is expected to be fit to face Arsenal
Brentford striker Igor Thiago is expected to be fit to face Arsenal despite being subbed off on Saturday in the 3-1 demolition of Burnley.
The Brazilian was on target twice in the second half for the Bees, taking his tally to 11 in the Premier League this season, before he was forced off in stoppage time with a leg issue.
Thiago was replaced by Keane Lewis-Potter and was spotted limping off the pitch at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Speaking ahead of the trip across the capital, Brentford boss Andrews admitted his side had been in the wars but he appeared determined to keep his cards close to his chest.
"We've got a couple of knocks and bruises," Andrews said. "But you get that from a game like the one we had at the weekend.
"We've got a couple of bits and bobs that we'll have to decide on but, in the main, we're in a good place."
Thiago is undoubtedly Brentford's danger man, particularly from set-pieces as Michael Kayode prepares to launch long throws into Arsenal's penalty area.
Andrews added on his prolific frontman: "He's a dream to work with. As a person, his hunger and appetite to get better consistently is really impressive. He's having a magnificent season. It doesn't take a genius to see that. The numbers will tell you that.
"The performances that he produces consistently well, how well he's integrated into the way that we are playing and the way he is playing with certain individuals within that team, he is making a real impact on how we are playing and he's proved to be a big player for us."
Brentford's Igor Thiago celebrates scoring against Newcastle
View 2 Images
Brentford's Igor Thiago has been in top goalscoring form this season(Image: 2025 CameraSport)
Reiss Nelson will be ineligible to play against the Gunners as they are his parent club. Bees trio Antoni Milambo, Joshua Dasilva and Fabio Carvalho are all long-term absentees with serious knee injuries.
Meanwhile, Brentford will be keeping their fingers crossed that William Saliba and Leandro Trossard are not available for the Gunners.
Article continues below
Mikel Arteta claims it will be "days" before they are able to return and that would seemingly indicate that they will miss the London derby on Wednesday.
Saliba has a knock which was sustained in training while Trossard was forced off the field last week in the 3-1 Champions League victory over Bayern Munich. Gabriel Maglahaes and Kai Havertz will definitely miss the contest.
Welcome to 'Seeing Red' - our new Arsenal podcast
We've launched a new Arsenal podcast 'Seeing Red' with chief football writer John Cross and Arsenal reporter Tom Canton.
Each week, they will dive deep into the biggest topics as they follow Mikel Arteta's side every step of the way - and will also discuss nostalgic flashbacks before each fixture.
It's a great time to be an Arsenal fan, with the Gunners flying high under Arteta as they look to win silverware this season.
The North Londoners are going strong in the Premier League and Champions League - and they're also in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.
We'll provide insight and reaction - and have fun along the way - as Arsenal target the biggest trophies this season.
No stone will be left unturned. VAR controversy? Poor performances? Unsung hero who deserves praise? Fixture chaos? We'll have it all covered.
Click here to view our YouTube channel
Click here to download our podcasts