Arsenal moved to the top of the Premier League as Kai Havertz’s fourth goal in successive league games sealed a hard-fought win over Brentford at the Emirates on Saturday.

Declan Rice opened the scoring with a fine header, but an error from the returning Aaron Ramsdale just before half-time allowed Bees striker Yoane Wissa to divert his clearance into thr net to level the scores.

Ramsdale, however, redeemed himself with two great saves in the second half to keep the Gunners level, before Havertz popped up with five minutes remaining to net the strike that sent them back to the division’s summit after eight successive domestic victories.

Having scored 21 times in their previous four league matches, Arsenal were quickly on the look for number 22, and just two minutes in Ivan Toney had to nudge a wicked Rice corner off his goalline to avoid suffering a quick concession.

But given their razor-sharp form in front of goal, it always looked like they would soon find the net and that proved to be the case after 18 minutes. Ben White found Bukayo Saka on the right flank, who returned it to the full-back. He had ample time to put a pinpoint delivery into the area where Rice had got in front of Mads Roerslev to glance a fine header past Mark Flekken and net his sixth goal of the campaign – the best return of his career.

Filled with confidence, Arsenal attack was purring and were soon carving out more chances. Havertz shot straight at Flekken after some neat footwork from Martin Odegaard, and with 10 minutes of the half remaining the German was sent one-on-on with the keeper and dinked the ball past him, but agonisingly wide of the far post.