Manchester City begin a three-game road trip in London with a Premier League clash against Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium on Tuesday. City come into this game in high spirits after an 8-0 demolition of Salford City in the FA Cup. Meanwhile, Brentford suffered a surprising 1-0 loss to Plymouth Argyle in the same competition.
Brentford vs Manchester City Match Preview
Pep Guardiola’s squad dominated Salford City over the weekend, with goals from James McAtee, Jeremy Doku, Jack Grealish, Divin Mubama, and Nico O’Reilly. The 8-0 scoreline marked City’s biggest FA Cup win since 1933, showcasing the depth of their team.
Before their FA Cup triumph, City secured important Premier League victories over West Ham United and Leicester City. Their 4-1 win against West Ham brought them within two points of the Champions League spots. While their hopes of retaining the league title may be slim, a strong finish in the top four seems well within reach if their current form continues.
City have scored in their last seven Premier League games, giving fans hope for another high-scoring match against Brentford.
Brentford’s home form has taken a dip recently. After a solid 5-0 win over Southampton in their last Premier League match, the Bees stumbled in the FA Cup, losing 1-0 to Plymouth Argyle. Morgan Whittaker’s late goal sealed the upset, leaving Bees fans disappointed.
The Gtech Community Stadium, once a fortress for Brentford, has seen back-to-back league losses, and another defeat would mark three straight home losses for just the second time in their Premier League history.
Head-to-Head Record
Manchester City have beaten Brentford in their last three league meetings. Earlier this season, City edged Brentford 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium, thanks to Erling Haaland’s two goals. However, The Bees will remember their 1-0 win at home on the final day of the 2022-23 season as motivation.
Team News
Manchester City will remain without Rodri (ACL), Ruben Dias (calf), Oscar Bobb (leg), and John Stones (foot) for their visit to Brentford. Additionally, Kyle Walker‘s future with the team seems sealed, as Guardiola confirmed after Saturday’s game against Salford that the right-back has requested a transfer abroad. Walker is unlikely to feature in Tuesday’s match, with Rico Lewis set to take over at right-back.
Guardiola is also expected to reinstate key players to the starting lineup, replacing FA Cup performers like James McAtee, Jeremy Doku, and Jack Grealish.
Brentford, meanwhile, continues to grapple with a growing list of injuries. They remain without Josh Dasilva (knee), Ethan Pinnock (thigh), Kristoffer Ajer (ankle), Ben Mee (unspecified), Aaron Hickey (thigh), Igor Thiago (knee), Gustavo Nunes (back), and Ryan Trevitt (Achilles).
However, there was a glimmer of hope during their FA Cup loss to Plymouth, as left-back Rico Henry made his first appearance in over 16 months following a serious knee injury, playing just over an hour.
Keane Lewis-Potter, who recently signed a new contract, is expected to share defensive duties with Henry. Meanwhile, Brentford’s attacking duo Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo – responsible for 17 of the team’s 27 home league goals this season – are set to return to the starting lineup.
Brentford Predicted Lineup:
Flekken; Roerslev, Van den Berg, Collins, Lewis-Potter; Norgaard, Janelt, Damsgaard; Mbeumo, Wissa, Schade
Manchester City Predicted Lineup:
Ortega; Lewis, Akanji, Ake, Gvardiol; Kovacic; Foden, Silva, De Bruyne, Savinho; Haaland
Brentford vs Manchester City Prediction
Brentford have struggled to hold onto leads this season, losing five games after scoring first — more than any other team in the Premier League. Meanwhile, Manchester City have proven their resilience by securing the most comeback wins in the league, with four victories after conceding first.
Even if Brentford replicate Wissa’s early goal from their previous encounter in September, the outcome is likely to favor the reigning champions. With their renewed momentum, City should maintain their winning streak. Prediction: Brentford 1-3 Manchester City.
