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As much as we marvel at Manchester City’s global superstars, with Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne starting together for the first time since the first weekend of the season, there’s still something exciting about watching an academy product, a local kid, win a game. through the nape of the neck.
Phil Foden, the “Stockport Iniesta” in his early years at City, scored an imperious hat-trick as the champions turned around a fretful goal deficit to close Liverpool’s lead at the top of the Premier League to just two points. And City have a game in hand.
Except that Iniesta, for all his genius, didn’t pull off a hat-trick as sublime as this, with Foden appearing as the best player on the pitch by scoring all 3 goals – simply caressing the ball at home at each and every opportunity.
He was icy, clinical, and celebrated by mimicking a sniper after each of his attacks. “He’s one of us,” chanted jubilant City fans and, indeed, Foden is one as the 23-year-old midfielder, who joined City at the age of just four, scored the second hat-trick of his career.
His stats are superb and, in addition to the goals, there were no less than 34 runs without the ball as he slid into dangerous positions. Brentford simply couldn’t get away with it.
“He’s like a knife,” Pep Guardiola enthused of Foden’s wit. “When you see players on the street betting like that, he loves to play. “The city manager said Foden might even be de Bruyne’s obvious heir apparent and there was high praise. “He’s had a sense of purpose,” she added. He has already played 250 games and has had an impact on his goals this season. It’s amazing. Their numbers are really good. “
Foden was equally delighted and is also benefiting from yet another Guardiola tactical tweak this season with the switch to a 4-1-4-1 formation which allows him to move inside more freely. “I’m enjoying playing in the middle and that’s where I see myself. Hopefully I can get more game time playing there,” Foden said.
“I’m satisfied with the way I played. It’s the way I’ve been in a City shirt for a long time, consistently, as long as I can continue.
This upgrade in his position could also give Gareth Southgate ideas for the upcoming European Championship. This is one way to bring Foden into the England squad and makes a compelling argument for his inclusion.
Foden now has eight league goals and seven assists, a figure only bettered by four strikers: Mohamed Salah, Ollie Watkins, Haaland and Son Heung-min. It’s his crusade for City.
The race for goals brought the total number of games in this round of the Premier League to forty-five (the most ever recorded in a 20-team season) and it could have been more, several more, had it not been for the very good performance of Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken.
They had taken the lead and perhaps dreamed of beating City again, having achieved an improbable league double against them last season, but it was never a realistic proposition, like the dominance of Guardiola’s menacing side as they chase down their rivals.
With De Bruyne, a threat every time he was in possession, and Haaland, who was double, triple marked, both fully fit and back for City it is looking like a daunting task to keep them at bay. It is now seven wins in a row for them, in the league and FA Cup, since returning triumphantly from the Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia, with 20 goals scored. Their rivals failed to take advantage of that hiatus.
It is worrying times for Brentford, despite Ivan Toney’s return, as they have now dropped 26 points from winning positions. But, frankly, anything short of a City win would have been a travesty with Flekken making no fewer than nine saves – the most in the Premier League – in the first half alone. And most of them were impressive.
He also claimed a handball that was largely due to Toney’s intelligence and common sense when he pushed Nathan Ake aside, allowing a goal kick past Neal Maupay, who ran and scored. Was the striker offside? No one else touched the ball and cannot be offside from a goal kick.
And then Foden took over. The equaliser in first-half stoppage time came when a panicked Ethan Pinnock unfortunately headed a dangerous floating cross from De Bruyne straight at Foden, who hit it. The quality that the most productive players possess is to give the impression of having more time and this was the case with Foden, who calmly passed the ball past Flekken.
De Bruyne and Foden also combined for the second goal, and once back, Brentford manager Thomas Frank will have been disappointed with the defence. Foden is only 5 feet 6 inches, but he is allowed to enter unmarked in the center of the net and conscientiously advise some. another cross from De Bruyne into the corner of the net.
The hat-trick ended when Rodri rolled the ball to Haaland’s feet and temporarily passed it to Foden, who took it calmly from outside the box, running towards him. Once back, Brentford were guilty as they failed to contest, and Foden simply returned home once to complete the score. It was as undeniable as that. At least that’s what made other people walk in a circle later to retrieve the ball and stand in front of City supporters.
On the win…
“The quality, it was a difficult game, Brentford are doing very well what they do, but we played [well], I think we deserved it. We had the chance to make up points on a part-time basis, but the time was much better.
On Phil Foden…
“The first and third [goals were good], he loves getting into the box, it’s his most productive season since we’ve been together. “
2 – Manchester City are the second team to win 4 consecutive away games in the Premier League after Manchester United between September and December 2020 (six in total). Prévisible. pic. twitter. com/SuAIs4rUN7
– OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 5, 2024
Being forced to come back to win. . .
“We know their quality. . . Last year we had messes, we had to move on and react and we did well. I’m very happy with the result of the match.
On what City did well…
“We stayed calm, we were confident in our abilities. We played very well, so we had to be patient, play and create a lot of chances.
In its form. . .
“I’m really happy with my form, I’m really happy with the way I’m playing, it’s the most productive form I’ve had in a long time. “
In the absence of playing in the middle. . .
“I’ll care if I play a position and I’ll be informed well. But I’m adapting well and at this City I know I’m going to play in a lot of positions. But I like to play in the middle and I hope to play there more often.
On his goals for the season. . .
“I’m just looking to be better every year, more goals, more assists. I want to show more of those performances more consistently. “
On his header, his moment in the Premier League. . .
“I don’t get a lot of headbutts, so I’m really happy with this one!”
Phil Foden gets to keep the match ball after his fine hat-trick.
The gap at the top boils down to two things and they have a game in hand. City had looked eerily smart since Christmas and were in excellent form tonight; it could have been much more and without Flekken in Brentford’s goal. It would have been.
Walker tried to pass the ball to Ederson, but only headed it outside the box for a corner. If you make that mistake, I guess the most productive time to do it is in stoppage time, when you win 3-1. City were eliminated. the danger of the resulting free-kick.
There will be five minutes of extra time, as Maupay makes way for Baptiste. His goal gave Brentford some hope, but once City scored, it looked like there would only be one winner, and that’s what happened.
City are moving it around without problems knowing that they have got the 3 points. They looked tonight.
Haaland’s evening is over. The Norwegian adds Kovacic. The striker is still finding his own after his injury, after all he is human.
Doku, in Bernardo Silva’s position, did well on the right, getting to the signature before sending into the box. The cross found the first time through De Bruyne, but the Belgian’s shot went wide of the right post.
Phil Foden takes the ball.
There’s consternation on the pitch and in the stands after Ederson steams out for a ball delivered from a free-kick. He comes through a crowd of players and sends Pinnock flying. Somehow it’s not deemed a foul…
Toney teamed up with Maupay before Dias, I think, stepped in. A silver lining for the hosts is that Toney and Maupay are showing symptoms of an attack partnership.
There was a Brentford corner in which Norgaard headed towards goal and Ederson made the regulation save.
Brentford have come a long way now. They had chances to draw 2-1, but there is a suspicion that City will lose a two-goal lead.
Brentford 1 Manchester City 3
It’s the second hat-trick of his career and it’s due to a perfect rendezvous with Haaland and Rodri, which allowed him to get into the box before completing well, calmly past Flekken, who rushed in. Rodri fired the ball low to Haaland, Foden left the ball. to the Norwegian before running. Haaland passed the ball to his teammate, who did the rest of the work. It’s a wonderful resolution and the summary with this City team is pretty much there.
Phil Foden completes his hat-trick with a frigid ? pic. twitter. com/xyCyOa6yqR
– Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 5, 2024
The ball went to Gvardiol in the final third, the left-back crossed for Haaland, who, for once, fell too short. . .
There’s plenty of encouragement for the hosts when they’re at City. About 10 minutes ago I wrote that they lived on surpluses, that’s not the case anymore. They locate the box and create chances, the most recent coming from Toney, who flies over the crossbar at the far post; it was a clever opening and the striker at least forced Ederson to make a save.
De Bruyne almost discovered Haaland in the final third, but for the first time the Norwegian is on the same wavelength as his teammate.
A great generation of pressure from Brentford. They had another clever chance, this one from a corner. Maupay at the far post and the striker’s effort came into play before City made another fine block.
Great opportunity for the hosts and very good block of Dias. The ball reaches Toney at the far post, the striker does well to return it to the danger zone where Norgaard, lurking with intent, moves for the first time. He is destined for the back of the net until the Portuguese gets in his way.
Great response from Brentford who are refusing to give up.
Brentford, when they have the ball, will try to move it forward as temporarily as possible, with Toney to keep Dias and Ake busy.
You’d think Brentford would struggle to get back to that stage – City had a lot of ownership and the hosts lived off the shelves in this half. However, the moment I hit that, they throw the ball forward, the ball gets to Roerslev and the Danes. ‘ Shot, from outside the box, that goes just over the crossbar. Correct answer.
Brentford 1 Manchester City 2
Foden with his second.
Before that effort found the back of the net, City were allergic to the idea of crossing into the box at half-time. Not this time. De Bruyne shoots to Foden from the left, he’s accurate, brilliant, it’s everything you’d expect from the Belgian and Foden directs him for the first time into the far corner of the net. Effective and clinical.
‘A very good ball as always’ ?Phil Foden connects with a very good cross from Kevin De Bruyne ✌️ pic. twitter. com/3QjVk7WaM8
– Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 5, 2024
City are patient, inspire and try, but don’t create clear-cut chances.
A City attack breaks down and Brentford counter at pace. The ball finds itself with Maupay on the left and he does well to force Dias into conceding a throw. It’s another Delap-like effort that City do well to clear.
As with most of the first half the visitors dominate possession. No chances created this half, however…
City controlled 10 shots on goal in the first half, they had never had so many in the first forty-five minutes of a Premier League match. They dominated and deserved the draw.
It’s late in the game and having kept City at bay, thanks in large part to Flekken’s excellent exploits in goal for Brentford, you’re worried that the hosts have squandered any chance of victory. We’ll see that in the moment component.
Brentford 1 Manchester City 1
It happened and Flekken finally won with a shot from Foden. Brentford kept their focus well in the half, but all it takes is one slip and City can hurt you. That’s the case here when Pinnock tried to head in a cross. from the right, he may not have strength on it and it fell to Foden, who hit the ball before stabbing the Brentford goalkeeper.
Manchester City still controlled to put Mark Flekken ahead and it was Phil Foden who equalised!? pic. twitter. com/wQy3BFhp1C
– Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 5, 2024
There will be 3 minutes of added time. Will City manage to score before the break?They had 91% ownership of that half. . .
Flekken played well but almost cancelled out a speculative attempt by Foden. . . it would have been difficult for the goalkeeper that Rahul Dravid likes today (the Wall. . . ).
While I write that De Bruyne has a pop from outside the box, that effort is an act of weak curling that Flekken stops to his left.
De Bruyne plays the pass of the night when he sees Gvardiol’s run into the box, the Belgian floats the ball over the Brentford defence in a way that only he can do. The left-back tries to locate Haaland at the post but the cross goes long.
Brentford have a third corner in a matter of minutes and this time City breathe a sigh of relief as they clear the ball and their lines.
Shot for Brentford in the final third. He fulfilled Rory Delap’s wishes in the center of the area and City were forced to concede a corner. Can you create something from this decoration? “Almost,” is the response when Toney starts the film and Dias concedes another corner.
From this set piece the hosts go short to Reguilon, who floats in a curling cross that evades everyone and nearly creeps in at the far post before Ederson saves.
Another ball over the more sensible one caused problems for City. Ederson broke out of his domain and headed the ball clear, almost towards a Brentford man, before Bernardo made a first tackle.
The visitors look smart in attack and you can feel that they will score at some point, but they look from the forged in defense.
Another City corner: De Bruyne takes it from the right, but it’s a collector’s item and can’t beat the first man. . . criminal in terms of corner kicks. . .
Maupay sees yellow for a rough and late challenge on Rodri, the Brentford man can have no complaints there.
Walker plays a delightful ball to Alvarez in the inside-right channel that the Argentine hits first time and Flekken makes a regulation stop. That’s City’s 11th shot, but still no goal.
There’s no way past Flekken at the moment as the Brentford keeper makes another decent stop. This time the ball breaks for Gvardiol who takes a touch before letting fly, Flekken saving wide to his right preventing the ball from flying into the top corner. He’s Brentford’s best player at the moment.
It’s almost 1-1. . . a bad back pass from Collins gets to Haaland, who is one-on-one with Flekken. It doesn’t show as serene a finish as Maupay did for Brentford’s goal and the hosts’ goalkeeper saves well with his feet.
Brentford 1 Man City 0
Maupay! This is the first way, but it is very effective. This comes straight from a kick from Flekken, Toney lays it down, as does City’s defence and Maupay is one-on-one with Ederson. The attacker helps keep calm and sneaks to the far corner. There’s no Maddison/darts birthday party this time. . . Clever on Toney’s part, if he had touched it, it might as well have been an offside flag, he didn’t and the purpose remains.
Neal Maupay puts Brentford IN FRONT against the run of play! ? pic.twitter.com/MB4e1x5IY1
– Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 5, 2024
Haaland seeks to eliminate the defenders and De Bruyne seeks to locate his accomplice. He almost did it by sending a ball to the back post from the left that Brentford did well to clear. The locals had two men there on the Norwegian.
The Brentford goalkeeper has already been shot several times so far.
Two chances and two saves by Flekken in 90 moments. The first sees Alvarez’s attempt, avoiding the back of his left. At the time, the Brentford preventer prevented a long-range shot from Kyle Walker to his right. The city gets bigger thanks to the minute.
On Brentford’s first chance, Toney broke loose in midfield, tried to locate the right corner of the net, but Ederson held well with his feet. However, it wouldn’t have counted as offside for the striker. . . the flag remained down until after the shot, something City had not been satisfied with in the past.
The ball went to Alvarez, who created an area before letting it out of the box, went inside until Flekken made a good save. Slowly but surely, City took the lead.
Bernardo and De Bruyne connected nicely down the right before the Belgian fired a low ball at a speed cleared by Brentford. Thirty seconds later, De Bruyne had the ball back down the right and this time he discovered that guy Haaland. The Norwegian shoots with the first shot and Pinnock blocks it well.
City are circulating him well but, so far, they are a big threat. As soon as Brentford win the ball back, they look to slow down.
The home side’s first attack generated a bit of panic in City’s dominance and a wave of noise in the stands. The ball is crossed from the right and Dias is forced to step forward and go for a corner. From set pieces, they avoided danger.
City with early possession, Foden crossed from the right, but it went towards a dominance that a boy and Brentford cleared with a header.
Both are wearing their first-choice kits, so the hosts are dressed in red and white with black shorts and City are dressed in sky blue wearing white shorts.
Hi Jude, he’s screaming and we’re a few moments away from the start.
As for hoping De Bruyne marries well with Haaland. . .
“At the right time, yes, but if Erling is marked by 3 players, he will go ahead!”
On what he expects from Brentford. . .
“They did two games [ beat Man City last season], they defend man to man, so aggressive. In transition they can run.”
“They’ve created anything at Brentford – there’s power there and it’s a difficult position to reach. They have a chance away from home, but they face the most productive team in Europe.
And it’s fair to say that he did a with his team selection. . . I think it looks like he’s missing an easel, a brush and a canvas. . .
“Welcome to BBC Four and The Magic of Jazz”pic. twitter. com/bcEo9ToO08
– Nooruddean (@BeardedGenius) February 5, 2024
Brentford are only the fifth team to achieve the double against Manchester City in the Pep Guardiola era: no team has beaten Pep’s City 3 times in a row.
Haaland is yet to score against Brentford, the Premier League side he faced and failed to find the back of the net.
On Haaland’s return to City’s starting eleven. . .
“It’s the best time for De Bruyne and Haaland to have compatibility and bet from the start!We are up for the challenge and we know that when we have compatibility, we will be able to offer a game and play in this league, adding Man City. “.
Was he ready to face Haaland?
“I expected it to begin with, it’s better to prepare for the worst!He gives speed at the back and physicality in the box, that’s what we have to take into account.
On Sergio Reguilon’s departure. . .
“He played a big role in that window, as did Rico [Henry]. We did.
On how Haaland. . .
“We need to do the best we can to take [him on] it’s the service as well, close [the service] down into Haaland.”
On what Brentford want to do to get a result. . .
“If we can play like we did against Tottenham, we’ll be in a position. “
Are you in today’s game? First, take a look at those bets and loose donations.
BRENTFORD XI VS. MAN CITY: Flekkon, me, Collins, Pinnock, Reguilon, Roerslev, Jensen, Norgaard, Janelt, Maupay, Toney. Substitutes: Strakosha, Brierley, Fredrick, Yarmolyuk, Baptiste, Damsgaard, Ajer, Zanka, Lewis-Potter
Thomas Frank made only one substitution in the team that narrowly lost 3-2 to Tottenham on Wednesday: Sergio Reguilon, on loan, replaces Keane Lewis-Potter.
MAN CITY XI AGAINST BRENTFORD: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Gvardiol, Ake, Rodri, Silva, Foden, De Bruyne, Alvarez, Haaland. Substitutes: Ortega, Stones, Kovacic, Lewis, Bobb, Nunes, Doku, Akanji, Grealish.
The big news is that Erling Haaland is making his first start since injuring his foot. Kevin De Bruyne also starts, with Kyle Walker, Ruben Dias and Bernardo Silva also in the starting XI.
? Your bees take over the city #BREMCI | #BrentfordFC pic. twitter. com/TSkIdCTEoq
– Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) February 5, 2024
Your City’s poster for the #BREMCI ?XI | Ederson, Walker (c), Dias, Ake, Gvardiol, Rodrigo, Bernardo, De Bruyne, Alvarez, Foden, HaalandSUBS | Ortega Moreno, Stones, Kovacic, Grealish, Doku, Akanji, Nunes, Bobb, Lewis#ManCity | @etihad pic. twitter. com/UMhAcMofka
– Manchester City (@ManCity) February 5, 2024
As if the task of teams fit to play at Manchester City wasn’t big enough, Thomas Frank has put into context just how difficult the task facing his Brentford side is tonight by saying he believes City can repeat their treble win this season. .
City won the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup last year – the second English club to do so – in a season that will long be remembered.
While some would consider such a feat to be a unique feat, Frank believes that Pep Guardiola and his players can fit into the feat.
“They’re flying right now, I think it’s 10 wins and a draw in the last 11 games,” Frank said. “They’re on the right track to achieve what can’t be done: win the treble again. I don’t think any world team in history has won the treble as a club twice.
“For them it’s still imaginable, of course, they may not communicate about it. Pep will say ‘no, no, no. ‘One game at a time’. All that boring stuff like me!
“They have the most productive players and the most productive team in the world. End of conversation. With the most productive coach in the world.
“Do players or managers have that hunger or determination any more? Do they lose it? It doesn’t feel like they lose it – they can do something never done in history and I think that is what drives them every single day.”
Brentford also did what some would consider “unworkable”: the double against Guardiola’s team. Ivan Toney scored twice in a 2-1 win at the Etihad Stadium in November before Ethan Pinnock’s late goal gave Brentford a 1-0 win at the opposing stadium. match on the last day of the campaign.
Teams enter the game in other ways. City have won their last 8 competitions in all competitions, while the hosts have won just two of their last 10.
“It’s going to be incredibly tricky for us on Monday night, but the news for the Brentford fans is that we have wonderful conviction and determination,” admitted Frank.
“We know it’s difficult for any team to play against us, even Manchester City. The percentages prevent us from winning the game, but we can do it.
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