Brentford manager Thomas Frank expressed his disappointment with the outcome of their match against Arsenal, feeling his team had been hard done by refereeing decisions. Specifically, Frank believed that Arsenal’s star player, valued at £60 million, should have been shown a red card for a challenge on one of Brentford’s players. Frank’s frustration continued as he argued that Kai Havertz, who scored the winning goal for Arsenal, should have been sent off earlier in the match for what he perceived as a dive in the penalty box. Despite Brentford’s efforts to secure at least a point against the title contenders, they ultimately fell short, reminiscent of their previous encounter with Arsenal where Havertz also scored a late winner.
In Frank’s view, Havertz’s continued presence on the pitch after the alleged dive was unjust, especially considering he was already on a booking. He emphasized that the Brentford players had appealed to the referee for a second yellow card, but to no avail. Frank criticized the match officials, suggesting that the linesman should have intervened to penalize Havertz for what he described as a “clear dive.” This incident compounded Brentford’s frustrations, particularly as they were already dealing with injuries to key players like Christian Norgaard, who was forced off the pitch during the game.
Providing an update on Norgaard’s condition, Frank remained hopeful that the injury was not severe and that the captain would be available for their upcoming match against Burnley. However, the Brentford squad was already stretched thin due to a lengthy injury list, including notable absentees such as Josh Dasilva, Rico Henry, and Ethan Pinnock. Despite the challenges, Frank expressed confidence in the squad’s depth, mentioning the potential return of Sergio Reguilon from a minor hamstring injury.
As Brentford finds themselves in a precarious position in the Premier League table, having only secured one point from their last five matches, Frank’s focus remains on navigating through this difficult period. With relegation looming as a real possibility, he understands the importance of regaining form and securing points in the remaining fixtures. The challenges faced by Brentford underscore the competitive nature of the Premier League, where every decision and injury can have significant implications on a team’s season.
