Former England defender Micah Richards has singled out Arsenal winger Noni Madueke for special praise following the Gunners' efficient 2-0 Premier League victory over Brentford at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday.
Richards hails Madueke's transformation
Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Richards was impressed by the impact of the £48.5 million summer signing from Chelsea. "Madueke looks like a new player," Richards stated. "He came from Chelsea. A lot of question marks maybe because everyone expected [Mikel Arteta] to get a striker in and they went for him early doors, but he's really playing well now."
The 23-year-old, who is being managed carefully after a recent return from a knee injury and was substituted just after the hour mark, played a key role in the opening goal. His clever backheel found the overlapping run of right-back Ben White, who provided the assist for Mikel Merino to score. Bukayo Saka added the second to seal the win.
Key contributions across the pitch
Richards also highlighted the effective partnership on Arsenal's right flank. "I thought the link up between White and Madueke down that side was very good," he said. "Saka can actually have a rest knowing that Madueke can do the business. I thought White played really well in the overlap."
The pundit reserved significant praise for goalkeeper David Raya, who made a stunning save to preserve the clean sheet. "Raya pulled off one of the saves of the season," Richards exclaimed. "Off the bar. In slow-mo it doesn't look that great, but in real time [his] reaction was sensational."
Shearer notes a hard-fought victory
Fellow analyst Alan Shearer concurred that the three points were hard-earned for the league leaders. "I think Arsenal were… I mean it certainly wasn't comfortable for Arsenal," Shearer noted. "It was a hard earned three points for them."
He acknowledged Brentford's resilient performance but emphasised Arsenal's champion mentality. "They're the best team and they're the most consistent," Shearer added. "They deserve to be at the top where they are and they're the team that are going to take some beating, because even when they didn't play that well, it was just about getting the victory."
The result on December 4, 2025, extended Arsenal's lead at the Premier League summit to five points as they continue their determined push for the title.
