Kai Havertz’s 86th-minute winner moved Arsenal to the top of the Premier as they beat Brentford 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium.

With title rivals Liverpool and Manchester City not in action until their Anfield showdown on Sunday, the stage was set for the Gunners to make it eight wins in a row and, for the time being at least, sit at the summit of the table.

Mikel Arteta’s side took the lead inside 20 minutes, as Declan Rice continued his strong season in front of goal by heading in from Ben White’s cross, and they threatened to take real control of the match.

But that was swiftly forgotten about, as Aaron Ramsdale was thrust into the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. Handed a rare start due to David Raya being ineligible to face his former club, the goalkeeper too long on the ball deep into first-half stoppage-time, and his clearance was charge down into the net by Yoane Wissa.

The Gunners spent the second-half piling on the pressure in search of a goal to restore their lead, with Rice going closer than anyone else when firing a brilliant effort against the bar from 25 yards out.

The tension grew, the likelihood of Arsenal dropping two points increasing by the minute, until Havertz stepped up with his second last-gasp winner against Brentford of the season. Again it was White who provided the cross, and Havertz found himself in space to power a header past Mark Flekken.