That’s it from me, thanks for reading, and for your emails and tweets. Congratulations to City and all of Brentford’s relegation rivals, who will have cheered tonight’s result. Commiserations to the Bees, Arsenal and Liverpool, who will have done the opposite.
Cheers!
Updated
Match report and analysis
Updated
Phil Foden, our player of the match, speaks:
We stayed calm. We trust our ability. We were playing really well, even at 1-0 down, but we controlled the game. Brentford cause a lot of big teams a lot of problems.
I’m really delighted with my performances. I’m playing a lot of minutes, and more inside, where I want to be. The best form I’ve had in a City shirt in a long while.
It would help if I played one position. But I have to adapt. But I’m enjoying playing in the middle, that’s where I see myself playing the best football. I’m just trying to better my stats from last season.
39 - Phil Foden has been directly involved in eight goals in his last six Premier League games (4 goal, 4 assists), while his hat-trick this evening was the Citizens’ 39th in the competition, inferior only to Liverpool (42) and Arsenal (41). Dazzling. pic.twitter.com/1YiLHQWFEW
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 5, 2024
Updated
Manchester City had 15 shots on target, the most any side has had in the Premier League in the past six seasons.
City are now second, two points adrift of Liverpool with a game in hand. It all feels quite familiar.
Brentford remain just three points clear of the relegation zone.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 23 | 30 | 51 |
| 2 | Man City | 22 | 29 | 49 |
| 3 | Arsenal | 23 | 25 | 49 |
| 4 | Aston Villa | 23 | 19 | 46 |
| 5 | Tottenham Hotspur | 23 | 14 | 44 |
| 6 | Man Utd | 23 | -1 | 38 |
| 7 | West Ham | 23 | 0 | 36 |
| 8 | Brighton | 23 | 4 | 35 |
| 9 | Newcastle | 23 | 11 | 33 |
| 10 | Wolverhampton | 23 | 0 | 32 |
| 11 | Chelsea | 23 | -1 | 31 |
| 12 | AFC Bournemouth | 22 | -11 | 27 |
| 13 | Fulham | 23 | -8 | 26 |
| 14 | Crystal Palace | 23 | -14 | 24 |
| 15 | Brentford | 22 | -7 | 22 |
| 16 | Nottm Forest | 23 | -13 | 21 |
| 17 | Luton | 22 | -10 | 20 |
| 18 | Everton | 23 | -4 | 19 |
| 19 | Burnley | 23 | -23 | 13 |
| 20 | Sheff Utd | 23 | -40 | 10 |
Full-time: Brentford 1-3 Manchester City
What a night for Phil Foden, the champions’ hat-trick hero. This was a good game, though. City are a winning machine, but they are not unbeatable.
90+4 min: Brentford with a late corner but well defended by City. Gvardiol has been impressive tonight, with an without the ball.
90+2 min: Brentford/Liverpool/Arsenal fans, you can blame this guy.
Now the game is tight the need an important. You'll never see Phil Foden mf only scores when his team are 5 goals up pic.twitter.com/3V7gvjaiQe
— Big GUN (@Re_birth499) February 5, 2024
90 min: Both teams have accepted their fate here. Here’s another exciting substitution to tell you about. Brentford’s Maupey off, Baptiste on.
Five minutes added on.
88 min: While this game is petering out, let’s have an important update from Thomas Stratford.
“As a reinforcement to all the anti-City emails you’re getting, I’m obviously delighted about this having swapped out Foden to bring in Diego Jota for my fantasy football team this last week”.
85 min: City make another sub: Haaland off, Kovacic on. Expect that means that Alvarez will move up to play striker. A reminder that Brentford remain the only one of the 21 Premier League sides that Haaland has faced but not scored against.
83 min: Alvaraz swivels neatly in the box and unleashes a fierce strike with nearly no backlift. Straight at Flekken, who makes his 18,365th save of the night.
81 min: Another change for Brentford: Ajer on for Reguilon. That’s not an attacking sub.
79 min: From a Brentford free-kick, Ederson makes an absurd decision to come 25 yards out of this goal to try to win the ball (a header?). He fails to win the ball, instead barging into Brentford’s Pinnock and teammate Aké. VAR looks at it … no foul. Utterly bizarre all round, and the third time this match Ederson has come needlessly charging off his line. He’s very lucky not to concede from at least one mistake.
Updated
77 min: Three changes for Brentford. Keane Lewis-Potter, Mikkel Damsgaard and Yehor Yarmoliuk replace Mads Roerslev, Mathias Jensen and Vitaly Janelt.
76 min: “I’ll provide a counter to all the anti-City emails you’re getting,” writes Richard Hirst. “As a Fulham supporter I’m delighted City are winning, and also that Brentford’s game in hand is away to ….. City!”
Of course, this result has ramifications at both ends of the table. This is how things currently stand, accounting for this result.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 23 | 30 | 51 |
| 2 | Man City | 22 | 29 | 49 |
| 3 | Arsenal | 23 | 25 | 49 |
| 4 | Aston Villa | 23 | 19 | 46 |
| 5 | Tottenham Hotspur | 23 | 14 | 44 |
| 6 | Man Utd | 23 | -1 | 38 |
| 7 | West Ham | 23 | 0 | 36 |
| 8 | Brighton | 23 | 4 | 35 |
| 9 | Newcastle | 23 | 11 | 33 |
| 10 | Wolverhampton | 23 | 0 | 32 |
| 11 | Chelsea | 23 | -1 | 31 |
| 12 | AFC Bournemouth | 22 | -11 | 27 |
| 13 | Fulham | 23 | -8 | 26 |
| 14 | Crystal Palace | 23 | -14 | 24 |
| 15 | Brentford | 22 | -7 | 22 |
| 16 | Nottm Forest | 23 | -13 | 21 |
| 17 | Luton | 22 | -10 | 20 |
| 18 | Everton | 23 | -4 | 19 |
| 19 | Burnley | 23 | -23 | 13 |
| 20 | Sheff Utd | 23 | -40 | 10 |
74 min: The game has probably been decided between those two defensive City blocks and that third Foden goal. That was the game’s crucial period. It seems a long way back for the home side now.
72 min: To rub salt into Brentford’s wounds, Doku replaces Bernardo Silva in City’s first change. What a substitute to have.
71 min: Foden has been far from the best player on the pitch in many aspects, but each goal has been expertly taken. Three very different finishes. Devestating for Brentford, who will feel this game has got away from them.
GOAL! Brentford 1-3 Manchester City (Foden 69, hat-trick)
Wow. Game over? A goal both out of nothing and oozing of quality. It’s simple football, but then some of the best football is. Rodri fires a low pass into Foden, who dummies and continues his run forward. Haaland collects Rodri’s pass, lays the ball off to the advancing Foden, who sprints away from his marker (Pinnock) to go clean through on goal, and picks his spot under Flekken. Just his second career hat-trick!
Updated
67 min: “My son is going to be delighted if City go on to win this match,” emails Catherine Ogden. “He was devastated I sent him to bed at 9pm!”
By all means enjoy yourself, son, but enjoy yourself by being effing disciplined.
Let’s hope he’s reading this MBM from under the covers.
65 min: The game is still in the balance. This is an excellent period for Brentford. I’d be surprised if Guardiola doesn’t make some changes soon.
Goal-line block from Gvardiol!
63 min: Brentford go close again! Once again, they are first to the second ball. Janelt shoots, and this time it’s Gvardiol who makes the block. I don’t think Ederson would have gotten to the shot, which was definitely going in!
Goal-line block from Dias!
61 min: Huge chance for Brentford! Reguilon crosses deep to Toney, who hooks the ball back towards the penalty spot. Time stands still as Norgaard comes onto the ball to shoot … but Dias makes a sensational block. That was a certain goal, but for the Portuguese’s intervention. Absolutely brilliant from the City man.
Updated
59 min: “Oh, Kevin De Bruyne”, swoon the City fans in the stands as he comes across to take a corner.
A couple of weeks ago, I played 11-a-side, and there was a semi-professional player on the opposition side. I think I uttered the phrase, “can’t get near him”, such was the gulf in class between him and I. It feels like a similar story here, with Brentford’s midfielders and De Bruyne.
57 min: Either Brentford are determined to give De Bruyne the freedom of west London, or the Belgian is so good, so elusive that no Bees player can get near him. Let’s opt for the latter, as it’s unlikely the former was in Thomas Frank’s game plan.
55 min: I have received yet more emails expressing a despair that City are now, regrettably (for them), winning this game.
GOAL! Brentford 1-2 Manchester City (Foden 53)
De Bruyne’s cross. Foden’s glancing header. Both City players had oceans of space – the Belgian to swing in his delivery and the Englishman to guide his header past Flekken, who got a hand to it, but couldn’t keep it out. City, ominously, have the lead.
Updated
51 min: In fairness, both sides have had chances to counter-attack, but lacked the final ball. Both Toney and Foden are guilty of wasting possession when in promising positions.
49 min: Considering the frantic first half, this has been a rather sedate start to the second period. Fear not, though.
47 min: How odd. I have received a flurry of emails expressing a hope that City don’t win this game.
Peeeeeeep! We’re underway again at the (fabled) Gtech.
Half-time reading:
Half-time: Brentford 1-1 Manchester City
All square. This would be a huge result if it stays like this. But I can’t see that happening.
GOAL! Brentford 1-1 Manchester City (Foden 45+3)
City are level, 30 seconds before the break! You can’t say the champions don’t deserve it, but the timing is cruel for Brentford. It was a poor defensive header from Pinnock in the box, and Foden reacts quickest. He has time to chest the ball down, and slides a shot past Flekken from around the penalty spot. That’s a lapse in concentration from Brentford, and will sting for Frank.
Updated
45+1 min: Now, Bernardo Silva shoots from 20 yards, but Roerslev heads the ball away, with the Portuguese’s shot headed for the corner. Brilliant, brave defending.
45 min: Three minutes added on. De Bruyne tries again from range, curling an effort low to the far post, but Flekken dives again to turn it behind. What a performance from Brentford’s keeper. That’s his ninth (!!!) save of the half. He’s never made more saves in the Premier League in one game, and we’re only half-way through this one.
43 min: City are desperate to equalise before half-time. They win the ball back just outside Brentford’s box, Foden shoots and the ball nearly squirms in! Flekken fumbles it, but gets his body behind the ball and the ball spins just around the post!
41 min: De Bruyne can be the difference. From a wide area, he gets out his sand wedge and flops a beautiful lofted pass through to Gvardiol, who shoots wide. A waste of what was an impossible pass from the Belgian. Ridiculous vision.
39 min: For all of City’s pressure and efforts from range, Brentford have probably come closest to a second goal. Another Bees corner comes and goes, but City do a better job of defending this one.
37 min: Brentford, set piece kings that they are, have a corner, which they take short. After a bit of dawdling, Reguilon curls a delicious inswinging cross to the back post, which nearly goes all the way inside Ederson’s far post, before the Brazilian keeper tips it wide!
33 min: Ederson, the maverick, comes a full 35 yards out of goal to head another Brentford ball over the top. But it goes loose, with Ederson stranded, and suddenly there’s panic in the City defence. Maupey just misses the chance to shoot into an empty net, and then Bernardo Silva makes a brilliant sliding tackle to deny Janelt. The home fans want a red card, but replays show Bernardo Silva got the ball. What a crucial moment that was. Could easily have been 2-0.
Updated
31 min: Pinnock is having a great game at the heart of Brentford’s defence, which leads me nicely onto this tweet.
Ethan Pinnock played 159 games for Dulwich Hamlet and is now a solid Premier League centre-back, who would start for most clubs outside the top six or so @michaelbutler18.
— Gary Naylor 85 (@garynaylor85) February 5, 2024
One wonders how many more rough diamonds are playing low in the pyramid (Ivan Toney another of course).
28 min: This is attack versus defence. But City can’t find a way through.
26 min: Another great save from Flekken! Brentford are hanging on here, but their 30-year-old stopper is keeping them ahead. Walker somehow wriggles clear to get to Brentford’s byline, the ball is cut back to Gvardiol on the edge, and the left back pings a shot at the top corner from 20 yards out. Flekken dives to this right, and palms it for a corner!
24 min: Flekken makes a huge save from Haaland and the home fans roar in celebration, nearly as loud as the goal. A loose backpass from Janelt let Haaland through on goal, but Flekken raced off his line to close the angle and made a crucial save with his feet. What a game the Dutch keeper is having!
Updated
22 min: That did seem like a training ground move! You can’t be offside from a goal kick, and it seems that City have been undone by a Thomas Frank masterstroke. That certainly looked like an orchestrated pattern of play from the goal kick. Both Toney and Maupey knew exactly what they were doing, and City’s defence did not react in time. Ake lost the physical battle with Toney, and Maupey was first to the loose ball. The rest is history.
GOAL! Brentford 1-0 Manchester City (Maupey 21)
The Bees take the lead! Route one stuff with the assist coming from Flekken’s goal kick. He boots it downfield. Toney pins Aké, but doesn’t touch the ball, and Maupey latches onto the ball, through on goal. Maupey steadies himself and rolls the ball low into the corner. Game on!
Updated
18 min: Brentford are withstanding plenty of City crosses into the box. Brentford’s three centre backs have had the better of Haaland so far, but City look dangerous from the second ball. One of these comes out to Gvardiol, but the Croatian blazes a shot over the bar from the edge of Brentford’s area.
16 min: “That’s an odd City bench, including three substitutes - Grealish, Doku and Bobb - for a position that isn’t really represented on the pitch,” notes Stuart Ardern on email.
Yep, although they are all quite verstaile attacking wingers/midfielders. I suppose none of them will be particularly thrilled about the future arrival of Sávio.
14 min: After Brentford clear a corner, Kyle Walker tries his luck from 35/40 yards! The ball zings towards the top corner at lightspeed, and Flekken makes another wonderful save to tip it behind. That surely would have been one of the goals of the season, but for the Brentford goalkeeper’s intervention.
12 min: Brentford break again. They certainly carry a threat, and City are playing a very high line, pressing to win the ball back in Brentford’s half. But when the Bees break the press, there’s plenty of space behind. Toney sprints through on goal! Ederson saves, and the flag belatedly goes up for offside, but encouraging for Brentford.
10 min: Sorry to say, Julian, but City are taking charge of this game. Alvaraz, such a pure shooter of the ball, tries his luck from range and Flekken does wonderfully well to dive to his left and tip it around the post!
8 min: “Dear Michael, emails Julian Smith. “May I be so bold as to raise a point of order? Whilst I agree that this is indeed a football match, anything involving the dark triad of Haaland, Pep and Citeh does seem to exhibit the qualities of an AI algorithm. I present to the court the image of said striker at the top of the page, and any depiction of the same by David Squires. Happy MBM’ing, but please can we have a thumping home win? If only for the sake of my forlorn, Klopp-broken heart.”
Not much to say about Haaland beyond this. Perfection from @squires_david. pic.twitter.com/i9JF02qNfF
— Scott Oliver (@reverse_sweeper) October 2, 2022
6 min: This is an open game! Too open for Thomas Frank, you would think. But it’s end to end stuff as De Bruyne twice finds space on that right wing to deliver those dangerous crosses. The first finds Flekken, the second is fired into the path of Haaland, but Pinnock makes a great block to deny a goalbound effort! Not a certain goal saved, that, but Flekken was scrambling.
Updated
4 min: Brentford happy for City to have the ball. They are sitting in a 5-3-2 low block and are seemingly happy to hit City on the counter. Interesting tactic, particularly as they don’t possess any players that are lightning quick. Bryan Mbeumo and Kevin Schade are both injured, of course.
2 min: Excellent start from Brentford. Toney canters away on the counter-attack, crosses low for Maupey, who is able to control the ball inside the penalty area. Rodri eases the Frenchman off the ball but then uncharacteristically loses it! Another Toney cross, and after a mild panic between Ederson and Dias, the latter clears it from under the bar!
Kick-off.
Peeeeeeeep! We’re underway in west London.
Brentford lining up with the lesser-spotted front two, then. An unusual problem for City to face. Ivan Toney’s return to the Brentford XI has been well documented, and he’s a real threat. But Neal Maupay’s return has also been something remarkable. He was something of a comedic figure at Everton but has scored in all four of Brentford’s games in 2024.
And I enjoyed Maupey’s little feud with James Maddison last week. Football needs more celebration shithousery, not less.
This is correct. Important to clarify.
@michaelbutler18 online sources seem to think Savio belongs to Troyes but is on loan at Girona - of course Troyes are also a City club
— iucounu (@iucounu) February 5, 2024
Brentford were one of just four teams to beat Manchester City in the Premier League last season, and the only team to do the double over them. Kyle Walker is out on the pitch in west London talking about those City defeats.
The game they beat us at home, that was just before the World Cup, that was a freak result. And when they beat us here [at the Gtech Community Stadium], that was just before the Champions League final. It’s not a reference for tonight’s game.
Remember, Girona are one of 13 football clubs in the ‘City Football Group’, so that deal is very much in-house. You can find out more about the group here …
… and Sid Lowe wrote about Girona back in November.
Manchester City agree deal to sign Girona's Sávio
Breaking news: a City-based transfer update for you. Sávio has been nothing short of sensational this season for Girona, who are second in La Liga. Nobody has more league assists in Spain, and he’s also top of the charts for successful dribbles, ahead of Isco, Rodrygo, Vini Jr, etc.
🚨🔵🇧🇷 EXCLUSIVE: Manchester City agree deal to sign Sávio from parent club Girona in the summer.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) February 5, 2024
Documents to be signed in the next days.
Despite bids from German and English clubs, Sávio will join #MCFC.
He’s now 100% focused on Girona to end the season in the best way. pic.twitter.com/oCDNy5d6Eo
This is interesting. Not only because stand-in Sky pundit Michail Antonio is wearing a beret, but also because Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven has been clocked as being the fastest footballer in the Premier League this season. Anyone that saw some of his recovery runs in the 2-2 draw with Everton at the weekend will not be surprised at that stat, just edging out Luton’s Chiedozie Ogbene (who also tore Newcastle’s Dan Burn to shreds on Saturday on the right wing). There are, however a couple of surprising names. Antonio is 41st, although the Jamaica international hasn’t been fully fit this season.
"41st?!" 😲
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 5, 2024
That reaction from Michail Antonio 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/mi8d0XX5fj
Not sure if this is a positive sign or a reminder of Haaland’s dominance since he came into the Premier League just 18 months ago:
Brentford are the only one of the 21 Premier League sides that Haaland has faced but not scored against.
The teams
De Bruyne and Haaland do start for City, making this the strongest Guardiola line-up since the last time they were both in the City starting XI on 11 August 2023 at Burnley (a 3-0 win at Burnley in which Haaland bagged two goals). It was also the game that De Bruyne suffered his injury that kept him out until January.
Brentford: Flekken, Collins, Pinnock, Mee, Roerslev, Jensen, Norgaard, Janelt, Reguilon, Toney, Maupay.
Subs: Jorgensen, Ajer, Strakosha, Lewis-Potter, Damsgaard, Baptiste, Yarmolyuk, Brierley, Fredrick.
Manchester City: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Ake, Gvardiol, Rodri, Foden, Alvarez, De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Haaland.
Subs: Stones, Kovacic, Grealish, Doku, Ortega, Akanji, Matheus Luiz, Bobb, Lewis.
Referee: Jarred Gillett (Australia)
Preamble
With the closing of the January transfer window, February’s Champions League knockout ties and a title race that is coming nicely to the boil, it feels that we have almost entered the Business End™ of the season.
Liverpool’s defeat to Arsenal on Sunday feels like something of a watershed, a result that has ramifications for all three title challengers, with some footy nerds/stats gurus estimating that the Gunners’s 3-1 win at the Emirates actually did more for City’s chances of clinching the Premier League trophy than it did for Arsenal.
Of course, all of those permutations and predictions only mean anything if City do what they are expected to do. Which is, of course, continue win loads of football matches, starting with tonight at Brentford.
Pep Guardiola’s side are already on rather a good run, winning 10 of the last 11 in all competitions, and have a couple of follically-blessed blokes back from injury, so one would imagine they will be fine with Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland back in the starting XI against a Brentford side that have lost eight (and won just two) of the last 12.
But then, this is football match, not an AI algorithm. Almost anything could happen. And most of us are here to find out if something unexpected happens.
Kick-off: 8pm GMT.
