Manchester City, 180 minutes from history, were thankful the final 90 of their Premier League season passed without incident bar the minor blemish of Brentford becoming the only team to do a league double over them.
“I don’t have any complaints,” said Pep Guardiola. “The solidarity they have, an exceptional team, I have a lot of admiration for Thomas Frank, the vibes that he’s getting.”
Ethan Pinnock’s winning goal was late-arriving – some way to celebrate a new contract – the ball nodded into his path by Bryan Mbuemo after Kevin Schade’s cross. It came long after jeopardy had already been removed, Brentford relying on Aston Villa and Tottenham slipping to seize the outside chance of crowning the finest season in the club’s modern history with a place in the Europa Conference League.
Dancing in foreign plazas was denied to travelling Bees but perhaps that’s for the best. West Ham have reached the final of the competition but with a deleterious effect on Premier League form. A club of lesser resources such as Brentford are likely to have struggled further.
“It’s special,” said Frank, ninth place, 59 points achieved on the division’s second-lowest budget. “No matter what City players are out there, it’s top, top players.”
Guardiola’s selection had been a combination of protectionist and experimental, seven changes from the midweek draw with Brighton. “We have four or five players with niggles,” he said. “The guys who didn’t play here that normally play were really exhausted yesterday or the day before.”
It opened the door for Frank’s team; Erling Haaland, on a run of one goal in six matches, was benched, his one job to pose with the Golden Boot award after full-time. With John Stones, Ilkay Gündogan, Rodri and Bernardo Silva also subs, Kalvin Phillips filled the Rodri role on his second Premier League start for City and failed to exert anything like the same control over midfield. Kevin De Bruyne, Rúben Dias and Jack Grealish stayed in Manchester, before a Wednesday training reunion after two days off. “They need top rest and to arrive with the right energy,” said their manager.
Instead, City’s next generation struggled with their chance to shine against quality Premier League opposition. Phil Foden, the 23-year-old five-time champion lately dropped from prominence, was joined by two fellow young Greater Mancunians in the rangy Cole Palmer in attack, Rico Lewis slotting into midfield. Foden was labelled as “incredible, top form” by Guardiola but struggled for connectivity. Palmer, guilty of two late misses, had Julián Álvarez and Riyad Mahrez for exalted company in being distanced from midfield.
Seconds before kick-off, with Paul McCartney reaching his Hey Jude coda over the PA, City were announced as “Premier League champions” to boos from home fans. The away fans promptly booed the Premier League anthem, 115 pending charges hanging heavy like a dulling wine. Such is season 2022-23, a campaign of often brilliant football played with a scarring undertow of legal issues and nastiness that can time‑bar the appreciation. For their part, City fans jibed at Ivan Toney’s ban and gambling addiction with a chorus of “he should have cashed out”.
Far more positively, the home fans sang the praises of the goalkeeper David Raya, expected to leave this summer, priced at £40m by Frank, and praised as “like a holding midfielder” by Guardiola. The Spaniard made a save from Palmer’s early left-foot drive but City’s unfamiliar team were otherwise grinding the gears, the pace of the game often more Soccer Aid than Premier League.
Following the break, Foden looked determined to play himself into Guardiola’s cup final reckoning amid the midfield blob. Brentford, meanwhile, made frenzied claims for what looked like three cases of handball. Frank was full in the face of the fourth official as home fans bayed for VAR, subsequently booked when in truth, none of Phillips, Palmer or Lewis had handled.
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The introduction of Shea Charles, 19, a debutant, in place of Nathan Aké added to the youthful Mancunian contingent while Kyle Walker, captain for the day, made himself unpopular with a couple of hefty challenges, one on Rico Henry looking a deliberate push, decidedly risky considering the high cost of suspension or self-harm.
Brentford’s proficiency at dead-ball situations – “the best by far, exceptional” according to Guardiola – began to exert pressure. Guardiola, hands in pockets, far less active on the sidelines than usual, was reluctant to make any more subs. Haaland will have to end his mini drought at either Wembley or the Ataturk Olympic Stadium.
A late alert rang out when a scampering Foden was slow to rise from the floor but that injury panic soon passed. Within seconds, Pinnock had scored, and after Brentford held off City’s late flurry, both teams’ fans could begin to celebrate their successes. “It’s the braveness I love from my team,” said Frank, his admiration shared by an opposite number with destiny calling.
