Keown Hails 'Quite Magnificent' Rice After Arsenal Scrape Past Brentford

Martin Keown wasn't about to let a point slip past without acknowledging Arsenal's grit, even if the performance at the Gtech left plenty to be desired. The Gunners legend reserved his highest praise for one standout performer in a hard-fought local derby that could easily have gone Brentford's way.

The numbers told the story of a match where Arsenal were second-best for large stretches. Brentford finished with an expected goals tally of 1.56 to Arsenal's 0.83, and they'd have fancied their chances of snatching all three points after Keane Lewis-Potter levelled Noni Madueke's opener.

"Arsenal scraped through here tonight," Keown reflected on TNT Sports, refusing to dress up what had been a testing evening. "They could have put down a big marker if they won the match, but it never looked like that was going to be the case."

Yet there was method in acknowledging a draw that keeps the Gunners four clear at the summit, especially with Manchester City having eased past Fulham. "If you can't win it, then you can't lose it," Keown mused. "Arsenal will see that as a good point well-earned, in the end I think. Nothing has really gone wrong here for Arsenal – big drama, let's move on."

The turning point came when Martin Odegaard replaced Eberechi Eze at the interval. Keown noted the Norwegian's impact was more than meets the eye. "What Odegaard does well is often missed," he explained. "The way he presses high up the pitch meant Brentford couldn't play through the midfield in the way they wanted."

But it was Declan Rice who captured Keown's imagination. The midfielder's tireless running and positioning earned the former defender's warmest words. "I thought the standout player for Arsenal was Declan Rice, it was immense the ground he was covering. He was quite magnificent," Keown declared.

With Brentford continuing to press and set-pieces becoming an increasing threat as the match wore on, Arsenal's resilience was tested to the limit. "I couldn't see Arsenal surviving without conceding a set-piece in that final half an hour and the pressure told in the end," Keown admitted.

The draw leaves questions hanging over how Arsenal will respond to the pressure mounting from City, but for now, the point stands. Keown wants to see who steps up next. "Let's see who the fighters are," he challenged. "Let's see who is going to win this."