With their Premier League title hopes hanging by the thinnest of threads, Manchester City will endeavour to return to winning ways when they welcome European-chasing Brentford to the Etihad Stadium on Saturday evening.
The Citizens have already beaten the Bees twice without reply this season, winning 1-0 in the top flight six months ago before securing a 2-0 EFL Cup fifth-round victory in December.
Match preview
It is advantage Arsenal in the Premier League title race after Man City dropped two crucial points in a breathtaking 3-3 draw with Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Monday night, ending a six-game winning run in all competitions.
Man City’s deserved one-goal half-time advantage quickly evaporated in the space of 12-second half minutes when Everton scored three goals, but the Citizens fought back to salvage a point courtesy of one strike from Erling Haaland - his 25th in the Premier League this season - and another in the 96th minute from standout performer Jeremy Doku, who also netted a superb opener on Merseyside.
Pep Guardiola’s side have dropped the joint-most PL points from winning positions since the turn of the year (12 - level with Tottenham and Newcastle), and the Catalan coach has accepted that the title race is ‘not in our hands’. Indeed, five points separate City from leaders Arsenal with just four games remaining, though that gap could be reduced to two points with a sky blue win on Saturday, before the Gunners travel to West Ham on Sunday.
Man City will welcome a return to the Etihad where they are unbeaten in each of their last 15 Premier League games (W12 D3) - scoring at least twice in 13 of those 15 matches - since losing 2-0 at home to Spurs back in August last year.
While Man City also hold a strong record against Brentford with eight wins from 11 matches in all competitions, these encounters are typically tight affairs. Every victory for the Citizens since 1997 has been by a one or two-goal margin, with five of those - including October’s 1-0 away win - decided by just a single goal.
© Imago / Sportimage
Brentford ended a six-game winless run - their longest in the Premier League this season (D5 L1) - when they secured a 3-0 victory over West Ham United at the Gtech Community Stadium last weekend, reigniting their push for European qualification.
Keith Andrews’s side rode their luck at times against a Hammers outfit who hit the woodwork three times, but the Bees held firm to secure their first home win since January. Now back in seventh spot, Brentford are just one point behind Bournemouth in sixth, but only three points above Fulham down in 11th, so there could still be plenty more twists and turns in the race for Europe.
The West Londoners have developed a knack for scoring late goals this season, with only Liverpool (19) netting more in the final 15 minutes of Premier League matches than Andrews’s men (18). However, Saturday’s opponents Man City have conceded the fewest in this timeframe (seven).
Brentford lost 2-1 at Old Trafford in their most recent trip to Manchester just over a week ago, and they travel to the blue side of the city this weekend having suffered defeat in nine of their 17 Premier League away games in total this season; only Fulham (10), Wolves (12) and Burnley (13) have lost more on the road.
The Bees have also been beaten in three of their previous four league visits to Man City, but supporters will reminisce about the 2-1 triumph at the Etihad in November 2022 when Ivan Toney delivered a match-winning two-goal performance.
Manchester City Premier League form:
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Manchester City form (all competitions):
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Brentford Premier League form:
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Team News
© Iconsport / Sportimage
Man City defensive duo Josko Gvardiol (tibial fracture) and Ruben Dias (ankle) are set to remain sidelined, while it remains to be seen whether Rodri will be ready to return after missing the last three matches with a groin issue.
Guardiola is not expected to make too many changes, if any, to his starting lineup, but one potential alteration could see Rayan Ait-Nouri return at left-back and Nico O’Reilly move into midfield at the expense of Nico Gonzalez. Mateo Kovacic may also be ready to start after recovering from injury.
Erling Haaland has scored four goals in his previous six games against Brentford and he is expected to be joined in attack by Antoine Semenyo, Rayan Cherki and Doku, the latter has been involved in six goals across his last five appearances in all competitions (four goals, two assists).
As for Brentford, Antoni Milambo and Fabio Carvalho (both knee) remain unavailable for selection, while Jordon Henderson (unspecified) and Rico Henry (thigh) will have injuries assessed ahead of kickoff.
Andrews is also unlikely to shake up his starting lineup too much, but Kevin Schade could be in danger of making way having failed to score in each of his last eight appearances. Should the winger make way, Keane Lewis-Potter could be moved into an attacking role, allowing either Henry - if fit - or Aaron Hickey to return at left-back.
Igor Thiago netted his 22nd PL goal of the season last weekend and is just three goals behind Haaland in the Golden Boot race. The Brazilian striker will be looking to end a three-game goal drought away from home this weekend, while Mathias Jensen, Yehor Yarmolyuk and Mikkel Damsgaard are all set to continue in midfield, despite the return to fitness of Vitaly Janelt and Josh Dasilva.
Manchester City possible starting lineup:
Donnarumma; Nunes, Khusanov, Guehi, O’Reilly; Gonzalez, Bernardo; Semenyo, Cherki, Doku; Haaland
Brentford possible starting lineup:
Kelleher; Kayode, Van den Berg, Collins, Hickey; Jensen, Yarmolyuk; Ouattara, Damsgaard, Lewis-Potter; Thiago
We say: Manchester City 2-1 Brentford
Man City have no choice but to dust themselves down from Monday’s frantic draw and produce a clinical, mistake-free performance that can get them over the line against a top-six-chasing Brentford side arriving at the Etihad with renewed confidence.
Another closely-contested battle between these two teams could be in store, but we expect the Citizens to rise to the occasion on home soil and secure a hard-fought victory to keep their slim title hopes alive.
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