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Gunners shrug off illness in camp as they begin 2025 in rude health

-  JON WEST

ARSENAL shrugged off a bug to get the new year off to a healthy start.

Sickness in the camp prevented Kai Havertz from taking part but some ill-judged Brentford defending ended up helping Mikel Arteta's men to a comeback victory.

Bryan Mbeumo fired the Bees ahead early on but Gabriel Jesus continued his hot scoring streak to level before the break.

Two goals in three minutes early in the second half, from Mikel Merino and Gabriel Martinelli, gave the injury-hit hosts too much to do.

And that saw Arsenal climb above Nottingham Forest into second spot to sit six points behind leaders Liverpool.

Thomas Frank's (below).

Brentford had hardly been out of their own half before grabbing a 13th-minute lead. But the way Arsenal allowed that to happen had Gunners fans fuming.

Martin Odegaard was a culprit with an uncharacteristically loose pass that was seized upon by Mikkel Damsgaard.