City's midfield of the future
Just like against Chelsea last week, Pep Guardiola named a second-string Manchester City midfield, with injury problems meaning there were a few square pegs in round holes. While Phil Foden impressed from the centre against Chelsea, he was given a chance to impress on the left and Cole Palmer was the attacking midfielder at Brentford.
With Rico Lewis seamlessly slotting into midfield again and Kalvin Phillips getting better and better, this was a very English midfield. Foden has long been touted as a future central midfielder, while Lewis has shown in his debut season that he clearly has the tactical and technical ability to play centrally for Guardiola.
With Palmer reminding fans and coaches of his obvious quality in the last three games - after a frustrating season - this line-up felt like one of the most relatable in some time for the fans at the Gtech Stadium with three academy products. Could Foden, Lewis and Palmer be linking up midfield for years to come in the future?
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Lewis caps a fine season
What a year for Rico Lewis. 10 months ago he was a youngster getting a chance on the pre-season tour, and now he's a Premier League champion having played a pivotal role for Pep Guardiola's side. City wouldn't have won the title without Lewis, after all, according to Guardiola.
Here, for the second time in a week, Lewis was an out-and-out midfielder and continued to showcase his tactical excellence as he played an impressive box-to-box role. Popping up in attacks, Lewis showed he can play number eight (even number ten) as well as number six or on both sides of defence.
Some eyebrows were raised when Guardiola credited Lewis with City's turnaround this season. But has any player been as influential to the way this side have played in 2023? It felt like the FA Cup and Champions League final teams were decided, but if these last three games have been an audition for some players to stake their claim, then Lewis surely has to be considered for an unlikely involvement at either Wembley or Istanbul.
Palmer's promising week
Until last week, Cole Palmer's season had been a write-off, or even a step backwards. With injury, form, and the good form of others restricting his path to game-time, Palmer hadn't really kicked on as most would have hoped when the decision was made that he would stay at City in the summer.
In his last three outings, though, Palmer has reminded City of his qualty. He was energetic against Chelsea and got a deserved assist from the left-wing. At Brighton he came off the bench to carry on that form and keep City on the attack. And against Brentford he operated through the middle to impress again.
From the first minute, Palmer was carrying the ball through the middle and forcing a save, and he showed he has been learning over the last 12 months even if he hasn't been playing with another solid tactical display. If any player needed to end the season on a high, Palmer probably needed it most - and he deserves credit for rising to that challenge.
Ake's welcome return
It was Sergio Gomez at left-back in West London, although surely he doesn't start either of the two huge finals coming up. Nathan Ake's return from injury, then, came at a perfect time after he made the left-back position his own between January and May.
With Manu Akanji not fit for the second game running and missing from the squad, City will need Ake to recover well this week if they are to have someone familiar at left-back.
Ake was given 60 minutes, before being replaced by under-21 captain Shea Charles for his City debut. Both sides of that substitution felt pre-planned, with Ake seemingly eased back into action and Charles rewarded for a solid season with the title-winning Elite Development Squad - he now has a senior club debut to go with the six international caps he has already picked up with Northern Ireland.
Who wasn't there?
The team selection at Brentford was more interesting for who wasn't there, with four key players absent. Kevin De Bruyne was not fully fit, while Jack Grealish, Ruben Dias and Manu Akanji missed their second matchdays in a week. Whether they are the players with 'niggles' that Guardiola has referred to, City will be keen for them to get fit for next week's FA Cup final.
Guardiola also took the chance to rest Erling Haaland, John Stones, Ilkay Gundogan, Rodri and Bernardo Silva from the start at Brentford. He admitted to having one eye on United next weekend, so resting the players who have played so much recently makes sense.
On that basis, those on the bench at Brentford can be confident of starting at Wembley vs United, as well of the likes of De Bruyne, Dias and Grealish if they are fit.
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