Arsenal scored two goals in three second-half minutes to complete a 3-1 comeback victory at Brentford to move back up to second in the Premier League.

The Gunners were behind after just 13 minutes when Bryan Mbeumo struck for Brentford before David Raya nearly gift-wrapped the hosts a second when he allowed Keane Lewis-Potter’s shot to slip through his grasp.

Raya clawed the ball off his own line and one minute later Gabriel Jesus headed Arsenal back on level terms.

Mikel Merino then put the visitors ahead after 50 minutes before Gabriel Martinelli added a third with Ethan Nwaneri – the 17-year-old handed his first Premier League start in place of the injured Bukayo Saka – involved in both goals.

The win took Arsenal six points behind Liverpool – having played a game more – and ahead of Nottingham Forest. Brentford remain in 12th.

Mikel Arteta’s men will have the chance to reduce the gap to just three points when they travel to Brighton on Saturday, 24 hours ahead of Liverpool’s clash with Manchester United at Anfield.

Brentford had won seven of their opening nine matches at home heading into the league’s sole New Year’s Day fixture and they struck the first blow here.

Martin Odegaard’s pass was intercepted by Mikkel Damsgaard and the visitors were suddenly scurrying back to their own goal. Damsgaard played in Mbeumo, with Riccardo Calafiori failing to put enough pressure on the Brentford forward.

Mbeumo was allowed to cut inside on his strongest foot before firing past Raya at his near post. Raya will be disappointed to have been beaten at his near stick. Nevertheless, it was a fine finish from the in-form Mbeumo to take his tally for the season to 11.

Only Mohamed Salah, Erling Haaland, Cole Palmer and Alexander Isak have scored more than Mbeumo in the Premier League so far.

Arsenal were flustered and they came within inches of falling two goals behind following a clanger from Raya.

Lewis-Potter’s rather innocuous shot slipped through his hands and a red-faced Raya was forced to rush back to his goal. Raya scooped the ball off the line with his left glove, and his blushes were spared.

Moments later, Arsenal had their equaliser. The Bees spurned multiple chances to clear their lines before Thomas Partey fizzed an effort from the edge of the area on Mark Flekken’s goal.

The diving goalkeeper failed to divert the ball from danger and Jesus threw himself at the rebound to head home, landing his sixth goal in four appearances, with Arteta and Odegaard staging an impromptu team talk on the touchline.

The second half was then just five minutes old when Arsenal took the lead, predictably perhaps, from a set-piece.

Flekken made a mess of Nwaneri’s corner and the ball fell to Jesus whose effort was blocked before Merino poked home. It was Arsenal’s 25th goal from a corner since the start of last season.

Brentford had barely got their breath back when the visitors added a third. And Nwaneri was involved again.

Nwaneri, who became the youngest player in Premier League history at this ground two years ago, cut in from the right flank before delivering an enticing ball into the Brentford box. Nathan Collins headed the ball away from danger but his clearance fell only to Martinelli with the Brazilian’s lethal finish flying past a flat-footed Flekken.

Arsenal were rampant and the life had been sucked out of the Gtech Community Stadium.

As the Gunners cruised to victory, Nwaneri was substituted with 13 minutes remaining. But his performance will provide Arteta with hope that he has found another solution to navigate Saka’s two-month lay-off, and deliver the Gunners their first title in two decades.