Stuttering Arsenal suffer title jolt, Brentford denied win in top-five chase

Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes took a fresh hit on a night that also left Brentford frustrated in their pursuit of a top-five finish. The Gunners, whose recent form has been patchy, were unable to secure the victory required to keep pace at the summit, slipping further behind in the championship race. Across the capital, Brentford pushed hard for a win that would have lifted them into the European places but ultimately had to settle for a result that keeps their ambitions hanging in the balance. The twin setbacks underscore the tightening competition at both ends of the upper table, with every dropped point now carrying heightened consequences.