Both aiming to end a five-year exile from the EFL Cup semi-finals, Manchester City and Brentford kick off the all-Premier League quarter-final battles at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday evening.
Intriguingly, neither side has progressed beyond the last eight of the competition since the 2020-21 season, when the Sky Blues ended up taking home the trophy while the Bees were bested in the semi-finals by Tottenham Hotspur.
Pep Guardiola's men are firm favourites to snap that five-year streak in midweek, although the Citizens are facing top-tier opposition for the first time in the 2025-26 EFL Cup after earlier wins over Swansea City and Huddersfield Town.
Meanwhile, Brentford have already eliminated Bournemouth, Aston Villa and Manchester United's conquerors Grimsby Town from the current tournament, but the Bees were held to a 1-1 Premier League draw by Leeds United on Sunday, shortly after Man City made it five wins on the spin by taking down Crystal Palace 3-0.
Ahead of Wednesday's quarter-final, Sports Mole looks at the head-to-head record and previous meetings between Manchester City and Brentford.
Head-to-head record
Previous meetings: 22
Manchester City wins: 13
Draws: 2
Brentford wins: 7
Manchester City and Brentford have butted heads a total of 22 times across all competitions, with the Citizens leading the head-to-head record having posted 13 wins to the Bees' seven, while there have also been just two draws between these two teams.
You have to go back over 92 years for the very first encounter between these two clubs when Man City put Brentford to the sword 6-1 at Maine Road in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
Fred Tilson scored a hat-trick, while Eric Brook (2) and Dave Halliday were also on the scoresheet for the Citizens.
Man City won four and drew one of their first five meetings with Brentford before the Bees celebrated their first triumph in December 1937, winning 2-0 away from home in the old First Division.
That victory for Brentford was the first of five in six games over a 52-year period, including FA Cup and League Cup successes in 1989, but the tables have since turned in Man City's favour as they have come out on top in eight of the last 10 meetings in all competitions.
Since Brentford secured promotion to the Premier League in 2021, they have beaten Man City just twice, both home and away in the 2022-23 campaign when the Citizens went on to win a historic treble.
One of the Bees' standout results from that season was their 2-1 victory at the Etihad Stadium in November 2022 when Ivan Toney netted a memorable brace, including a dramatic stoppage-time winner.
Since then, Man City have won four of their last five encounters with Brentford. Phil Foden scored a sublime hat-trick in a 3-1 away victory in February 2024, and just 15 days later, Erling Haaland scored the only goal in a slender 1-0 win for Pep Guardiola's men on home soil.
In September 2024, a first-minute Yoane Wissa goal at the Etihad proved inconsequential, as Haaland turned the tide with a brace in a 2-1 success for the Citizens.
However, Brentford got their revenge four months later and snatched a point in a 2-2 home draw with the Citizens, courtesy of a stoppage-time equaliser from Christian Norgaard.
City reverted to type in the early days of the 2025-26 season, though, as Haaland struck the only goal in a 1-0 success at the Gtech Community Stadium to give Guardiola his 250th Premier League win.
Last 20 meetings
Oct 05, 2025: Brentford 0-1 Man City (Premier League)
Jan 14, 2025: Brentford 2-2 Man City (Premier League)
Sep 14, 2024: Man City 2-1 Brentford (Premier League)
Feb 20, 2024: Man City 1-0 Brentford (Premier League)
Feb 05, 2024: Brentford 1-3 Man City (Premier League)
May 28, 2023: Brentford 1-0 Man City (Premier League)
Nov 12, 2022: Man City 1-2 Brentford (Premier League)
Feb 09, 2022: Man City 2-0 Brentford (Premier League)
Dec 29, 2021: Brentford 0-1 Man City (Premier League)
Jan 25, 1997: Brentford 0-1 Man City (FA Cup)
Oct 04, 1989: Man City 4-1 Brentford (League Cup)
Sep 19, 1989: Brentford 2-1 Man City (League Cup)
Jan 28, 1989: Brentford 3-1 Man City (FA Cup)
Mar 03, 1951: Brentford 2-0 Man City (Second Division)
Oct 14, 1950: Man City 4-0 Brentford (Second Division)
Dec 27, 1937: Brentford 2-1 Man City (First Division)
Dec 25, 1937: Man City 0-2 Brentford (First Division)
Apr 07, 1937: Man City 2-1 Brentford (First Division)
Apr 03, 1937: Brentford 2-6 Man City (First Division)
Mar 14, 1936: Brentford 0-0 Man City (First Division)