Brentford v Arsenal player ratings: Janelt 4, Toney 6; Vieira 8, Jesus 9

Gunners go back to top of Premier League after 3-0 win

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  BRENTFORD RATINGS: David Raya 7: Wayward distribution at times in first half but no chance with either goal – or Vieira’s wonder strike just after half-time. Denied Arsenal a fourth with good saves from Jesus – twice – and Saka. Getty

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  Aaron Hickey 6: Kept busy by Tierney and Martinelli down his right flank and given little opportunity to push forward. Getty

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  Ben Mee 6: Gave Vieira a typical Premier League introduction with crunching sliding challenge on byline. Made to look like old man by Saka’s pace just after break. AP

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  Kristoffer Ajer 6: Norwegian centre-half, making first appearance of season, did little wrong at the back on day where it was the Bees midfield that failed to turn up. Reuters

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  Pontus Jansson 5: Captain caught out by Xhaka’s ball over defence for Gunner's second goal in one of too many examples of Bees being caught napping at back. Reuters

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  Vitaly Janelt 4: Given no time to get time on ball or get grip on midfield battle that home side lost from pretty much from first minute until last. Reuters

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  Mathias Jensen 5: Took ball off Jesus when Arsenal attacker tried to juggle ball over his head at one point but Dane failed to find teammate with ball into box – typical of the Bees' service to forwards. Limped off with 20 minutes left. AP

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  Josh Dasilva 5: Back in team against former club and tried to be link-up man across midfield for front two but found little joy. PA

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  Rico Henry 4: Little opportunity to use his pace down left flank and made no impact. Reuters

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  Bryan Mbeumo 4: Received little service in opening half bar one half chance from Toney cross but couldn’t connect with his head. Same story after break on what was strangely low-key home performance. AFP

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  Ivan Toney 6: Best work in first half was tracking back and helping defence although Saliba stole in front of England’s latest call-up to head Arsenal in front. Almost scored inventive free-kick early in first half but fired shot just over. Won late penalty but offside flag had gone up and then flashed header wide. Getty

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  SUBS: Frank Onyeka (On for Jenelt 64’) 5: Couldn’t help team get back into match. AP

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  Mikkel Damsgaard (On for Dasilva 64’) 6: Chance to pull one back with 20 minutes left but Ramsdale blocked well. Reuters

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  Shandon Baptiste (On for Jensen 69’) 6: Threaded ball through to Damsgaard just after coming on but fellow sub couldn’t finish. Getty Yoane Wissa (On for Mbeumo 75’) N/A.

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  ARSENAL RATINGS: Aaron Ramsdale 7: Did not have serious save to make until 70th minute when he blocked Damsgaard’s shot. Getty

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  Ben White 7: Coped easily with pace of Henry and didn’t put foot wrong on right flank. AP

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  William Saliba 8: Flicked near-post header from corner off post and over the line to put Gunners into lead. Started move for third goal with fine turn under pressure at back before playing ball forward. Getty

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  Gabriel 7: Seemed to pick up injury in warm-up and pulled up 20 minutes into match but played on and coasted through rest of game in fine Gunners defensive performance. Flashed shot over bar from distance with 20 minutes to go. AP

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  Kieran Tierney 7: Back in team with Zinchenko injured and produced some of his usual galloping runs down left flank. Given space to shoot just before break but fired well over from edge of box. Reuters

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  Thomas Partey 8: Ghanian midfielder returned after missing four games through injury and ran the show from middle of park. Getty

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  Granit Xhaka 8: Took captain’s armband again with Odegaard out injured and dinked a lovely ball over top to find Jesus for second goal. Unnecessary yellow card when blocked Raya as goalkeeper looked to launch Bees' counter-attack. Reuters

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  Fabio Vieira 8: Making first Premier League start and didn’t seem to like one thumping early Mee challenge. Played in Saka first first-half chance that attacker blazed over. Hit sweet left-footed strike off post to make it 3-0. AFP

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  Bukayo Saka 8: Whipped-in corner from England attacker found Saliba to open scoring. Cracked right-footed shot over bar that could have put Gunners into 3-0 first-half lead. Almost made of four but keeper palmed his shot away. Getty

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  Gabriel Martinelli 7: On end of slick move after just two minutes but slipped and scuffed shot to keeper. Give away silly free-kick that almost saw Toney score in second half. Worked hard and a constant thorn in side of oppsition defence. Reuters

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  Gabriel Jesus 9: Tremendous header to put Gunners two up in first half. Prevented a second goal with Raya twice saving well in second half. What a signing the Brazilian has been so far. Getty

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  SUBS: Eddie Nketiah (On for Martinelli 78’) N/A. AFP

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  Albert Sambi Lokonga (On for Partey 78’) N/A. Reuters

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  Takehiro Tomiyasu (On for White 86’) N/A. Reuters

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  Ethan Nwaneri (On for Vieira 90+1’) N/A. Became youngest player in English top-flight history with he appeared in injury time aged 15 years and 181 days. Getty

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  Oliveira Alencar (On for Saka 90+1’) N/A. Reuters

Arsenal are back on top of the Premier League after an impressive 3-0 victory at Brentford on Sunday.

The Gunners, who dropped points for the first time this season against Manchester United last time out, brushed aside a Bees side who produced an unusually lethargic performance in front of an equally subdued home support.

Defender William Saliba put Arsenal on their way to a sixth win in seven league games when his flicked header from a Bukayo Saka corner bounced over the line via a post in the 17th minute.

It was 2-0 just before the half-hour mark when Gabriel Jesus powered home a header from a perfect ball into the box by Granit Xhaka for the Brazilian's fourth goal of the season.

The final goal when Portuguese midfielder Fabio Vieira marked his first Premier League start with a fine left-footed strike from outside the box that clipped the post before hitting the back of the net just after half-time.

Such was Arsenal's dominance, they were even able to bring on Ethan Nwaneri in injury time who became the youngest ever Premier League player aged 15 years and 181 days.

It was a hugely disappointing afternoon for Brentford and striker Ivan Toney who could not mark his England call-up with a goal. Even when 26-year-old managed to win a penalty late on, the lineman's flag went up to deny him the chance of scoring for the sixth time this season.

Arsenal return to the top of the table, leading Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur by one point. Brentford remain in ninth place.

You can see the player ratings from Sunday's game in the gallery above. To move on to the next photo, click on the arrows or if using a mobile device, simply swipe.