Aarom Ramsdale can't hide telling reaction after being bailed out by Kai Havertz

09 March 2024 , 19:45

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Aaron Ramsdale had his blushes spared by Kai Havertz's late winner (Image: Getty Images)

Kai Havertz spared Aaron Ramsdale's blushes as his dramatic late winner sent Arsenal top ahead of Liverpool's crunch title showdown with Manchester City at Anfield.

The Gunners, who statically boast both the best attack and defence in the division, displayed that they can also win ugly after previously hitting 24 goals in their past five top-flight matches.

And incredibly, this vital triumph was their eighth Premier League victory on the spin as they continue to keep the pace with their relentless title rivals.

Ramsdale, on what could prove to be his final appearance for the club, looked to have cost his side when he gifted Brentford a ridiculous leveller through Yoane Wissa.

And he was at the centre of a cauldron of emotion when Havertz headed the winner, sliding in celebration before the travelling Brentford faithful, who taunted him with chants of "you're just a s*** David Raya," following his blunder.

The deafening noise generated from Havertz's heroics shook the Emirates to its roots - this is a crowd beginning to dream of a first Premier League title in 20 years.

Arsenal's man of the moment Declan Rice forced the hosts ahead on 19 minutes when he burst into the box before powerfully heading Ben White's cross past Mark Flekken.

It was his seventh goal involvement, three goals and four assists, in his last nine matches for the Gunners as he found the net for the second time this week following his classy finish in Monday's 6-0 demolition of Sheffield United.

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Declan Rice put Arsenal ahead

Roy Keane had claimed Arsenal had "paid way too much" for Rice last August when he sealed a club-record £105million switch to north London while Graeme Souness declared the England international midfielder "did not score enough goals". Rice is now making a mockery of those accusations as he continues to stamp his authority upon matches at both ends of the field.

Arsenal were cruising and seconds out from the sound of the half-time whistle when disaster struck. Ramsdale, making his first appearance since late November, hesitated with the ball at his feet, Wissa pressed determinedly before tackling the ball into the net.

Mikel Arteta turned away in disgust as large sections of Arsenal's tetchy fanbase savagely made their true feelings known.

Kai Havertz struck the late winner for Arsenal (Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Arsenal will have to be near-perfect if they're to go the distance and those are the kind of errors and margins that could prove terminal.

Goalkeeper coach Inaki Cana was among those to console shell-shocked Ramsdale as he trudged off at the break but he responded well, clawing away an audacious 35-yard half-volley from Toney on 55 minutes.

Yet he somehow bettered that save with a stunning stop to deny Nathan Collins at the back post as the defender's header was tipped over the bar. While Ramsdale may struggle to sleep tonight, his courage and mental resilience to recover from his error was impressive.

Rice then went close at the other end when his curling long-range strike bounced off the woodwork. But it was another summer signing that would later come up trumps in Havertz three minutes from time when he headed White's cross home as the right-back grabbed his second assist of the night.

Ryan Taylor