Man City will look to get back to winning ways against Brentford

Manchester City will look to close the gap on the Premier League leaders when they take on Brentford at the Etihad Stadium this weekend.

The game could be affected by City’s participation at the Club World Cup, but assuming it still goes ahead it promises to be a huge game for the defending Premier League champions.

Pep Guardiola and those with Manchester City tickets will be desperate to get his side back to winning ways after the Cityzens let-slip a two-goal advantage to draw 2-2 with Crystal Palace last time out.

Jack Grealish gave City the lead in the first half, marking his third consecutive goal for City this season. Academy star, Rico Lewis doubled City’s lead ten minutes after with his debut Premier League goal.

Jean-Clair Mateta halved the deficit with Palace’s first sight on goal to kick-start a pulsating closing minutes to the game. Referee, Paul Tierney pointed to the spot after Phil Foden tripped Mateta in the 18-yard box. Michael Olise stepped up and coldly converted the spot kick to draw Palace level.

Roy Hodgson implemented an unfamiliar strategy, making it challenging for City at the Etihad. In the first half, all 11 Eagles players dropped deep around the penalty box. Despite City’s possession control, chances were limited. Julian Alvarez had a flick saved by Dean Henderson, Ruben Dias and Rodrigo had attempts narrowly miss the target. City, however, maintained precision passing and eventually found a way through the crowded defense midway through the first half.

Foden created a narrow opening at the edge of the box, delivering a nutmeg pass to Grealish, who slotted a low strike into the corner. After a VAR check, Grealish’s goal was confirmed. Grealish collaborated effectively with Gvardiol on the left, with the latter having two attempts, one saved by Henderson and the other touched wide. Palace struggled to break away, but a chance emerged when Mateta chased a long ball. Ederson, slipping as he came out, caught Mateta, received a yellow card, and Palace’s resulting free-kick from Olise narrowly missed the bar.

City initially believed they secured a second goal early in the second half when Alvarez’s cross drifted into the net untouched. However, Rodrigo was offside and his attempt to head it in was considered interfering with play. Nonetheless, City quickly doubled their lead in the 60th second with Lewis lashing the ball inside the near post after Rodrigo attempted to bundle through.

Bernardo nearly capped his impressive performance with a curling effort, but Henderson’s save denied the goal. Palace staged a comeback as Schlupp broke away, cutting the ball back for Mateta to score. In the 93rd minute, Foden’s attempted clearance caught Mateta, leading to Olise converting from the spot, securing a crucial draw for Palace and a disappointing result for City as they remain fourth in the League standings – five points adrift of leaders Arsenal.

Brentford’s plan to halt Villa’s run of victories faltered in a dramatic match after Ollie Watkins scored a late winner against his former club.

Despite a bright start from Villa, missed first-half chances included efforts from Matty Cash and Jacob Ramsey. Keane Lewis-Potter broke the deadlock just before halftime, scoring his first Premier League goal for Brentford

Brentford’s Ben Mee received a red card in the 71st minute for a reckless challenge on substitute Leon Bailey, with VAR upgrading the initial yellow given by referee David Coote. With the numerical advantage, Villa equalized six minutes later as Bailey set up Alex Moreno for a headed goal. The visitors took the lead in the 85th minute when Ollie Watkins scored from Jacob Ramsey’s corner, sparking tense moments in the Brentford net due to Watkins’ celebrations in front of his former fans.

Villa’s Boubacar Kamara was also shown a red card in added time for grabbing Yehor Yarmoliuk by the neck, leading to chaos. Referee David Coote issued a total of 10 yellow cards, including both managers receiving bookings. The win marked Villa’s fifth in six league games, placing them on 38 points, tied with Liverpool but with a slightly inferior goal difference, and one point behind leaders Arsenal. Brentford, enduring their fifth defeat in six games, are in 12th place with 19 points. After their game against Manchester City was postponed, Brentford’s next match is on December 27th against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Brentford shockingly defeated City on this ground last season, completing a league double over them for the first time since 1937. Thomas Frank’s side will hope to stretch their winning streak when this fixture is rescheduled.

Players to watch

Jack Grealish

Grealish faced a slow start to the season, hampered by a knee injury after missing a month. Despite showcasing brilliance against Young Boys and Manchester United, his starting position became uncertain, especially with the emergence of Jeremy Doku. Grealish’s outstanding performance against United reaffirmed his importance in crucial fixtures, but Guardiola seemed to favor Doku in subsequent matches, including against Tottenham Hotspur. Grealish capitalized on Doku’s injury, scoring a potential winning goal. Unfortunately, a subsequent suspension for a booking in the Aston Villa game hindered his chance to further impress.

Grealish’s recent form is noteworthy, scoring in his last three Premier League games, including goals against Tottenham, and Luton Town. Despite his consistent contributions and being the only City player to feature in all recent games, Grealish faced frustration in the recent Etihad appearance against Crystal Palace. This strong run comes after a period of injury-related absence, showcasing Grealish’s return to his best form before the year’s end.

Bryan Mbeumo

Bryan Mbeumo has been a standout performer for Brentford this season, stepping up as a star player in the absence of Ivan Toney. His nine-goal involvements account for 42% of Brentford’s Premier League goals this season, showcasing his crucial role in the team. Mbeumo’s offensive capabilities, including accurate crosses and shot-creating actions, place him among the top performers in the league. Unfortunately, he will be sidelined for three months due to an ankle injury, missing the Africa Cup of Nations for Cameroon. Mbeumo had been leading Brentford’s scoring charts with seven goals and three assists before his injury.

Prediction

Current Premier League champions, Manchester City, will be thirsty for revenge after suffering back-to-back defeats to the Bees last season. Pep Guardiola’s side will also be hungry to get back to winning ways with a top performance against the Bees.

Most notably, Erling Haaland will hope to finally score against Brentford who are the only Premier League team he is yet to score against.

On the other hand, Brentford are not to be written off as they’re more than capable of causing an upset at the Etihad Stadium. That being said, we still expect City to win this game if it goes ahead this weekend. Man City 2-1 Brentford