Foden the hat-trick hero as Manchester City fight back to beat Brentford – latest reaction

Phil Foden gets to keep the match ball after his fine hat-trick. 

The gap at the top is closed to two points and they have a game in hand. City have looked ominously good since Christmas and they were in fine form tonight – it could have been a lot more and but for Flekken in the Brentford goal it would have been. 

Walker tries to head the ball back to Ederson but only heads it off the pitch for a corner. If you’re going to make that error the best time to do it, I suppose, is during injury time when you’re 3-1 up. City clear the danger from the resulting set piece. 

There will be five minutes of added time, as Maupay makes way for Baptiste. His goal gave Brentford some hope, but once City scored you suspected there was only going to be one winner, and so it transpired. 

City passing it around with ease knowing they’re wrapped up the three points. They’ve looked good tonight. 

Haaland’s night is over. The Norwegian makes way for Kovacic. The striker is still finding his way back after the injury, he is human after all. 

Doku, on for Bernardo Silva, does well on the right, getting to the byline before delivering into the box. The cross is met first time by De Bruyne, but the Belgian’s shot is wide of the right post. 

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 links up with Maupay before Dias, I think, intervenes. One bright spot for the hosts is that Toney and Maupay are showing signs of being a good attacking partnership. 

There’s a Brentford corner that sees Norgaard head for goal, Ederson makes the regulation save. 

It’s a long way back for Brentford now. They had chances at 2-1 but you suspect that City will not throw away a two-goal cushion. 

Brentford 1 Man City 3

A Phil Foden hat-trick. It’s his second career hat-trick and comes courtesy of a great link up with Haaland and Rodri, that allows him to drive into the box before finishing well, calmly slotting past the on-rushing Flekken. Rodri fired the ball in low to Haaland, Foden left the ball to the Norweigan before making the run. Haaland laid the ball off to his team-mate who does the rest of the work. It’s a great move and sums up with this City side are about. 

The ball fortuitously breaks to Gvardiol in the final third, the left-back crosses for Haaland who, for once is just too short…

There is a lot of encouragement for the hosts when they’re in the City half. About 10 minutes ago I wrote they were living off scraps, that’s not the case now. They are finding space and creating chances, the latest comes the way of Toney who volley over the bar at the back post – that was a good opening and the striker should have at least forced Ederson into making a save. 

De Bruyne very nearly finds Haaland in the final third but for once the Norwegian isn’t on same wavelength as his partner in crime. 

A good period of pressure from Brentford. They have another good chance, this one from a corner. It comes to Maupay at the back post and the striker’s attempt is going in before City get in another fine block. 

Great chance for the hosts, and a great block from Dias. The ball is delivered to Toney at the back post, the striker does well to get it back into the danger area where Norgaard, lurking with intent, hits is first time. It’s destined for the back of the net until the Portuguese gets his body in the way. 

Great response from Brentford who are refusing to give up. 

Brentford, when they have the ball, are trying to get it forward as quickly as possible with Toney looking to keep Dias and Ake busy. 

You suspect that Brentford will find it tough to get back into this – City have had so much of the ball and the hosts have been living off scraps this half. As I type that, however, they launch the ball forward, the ball comes to Roerslev and the Danes shot, from outside the box, goes just over the bar. Good response. 

Brentford 1 Man City 2

Foden with his second.

Before this effort found the back of the net City seemed allergic to getting a cross into the box this half. Not on this occasion. De Bruyne delivers to Foden from the left, it’s pinpoint, it’s great, it’s everything you expect from the Belgian and Foden heads it first time into the far corner of the net. Effective and clinical. 

City are being patient, they are prodding and probing but don’t create a clear-cut chance. 

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 had 10 shots on target in the first half, they’ve never had more in the opening 45 minutes of a Premier League match. They did dominate and deserved that equaliser. 

That’s the end of the half and having kept out City well, largely through the fine exploits of Flekken in the Brentford goal, you fear the hosts have now let any chance of victory slip. We’ll see in the second half. 

Brentford 1 Man City 1

It’s been coming and Flekken is finally beaten by a Foden shot. Brentford have kept their concentration levels up well this half, but it only takes one slip and City can hurt you. That’s the case here as Pinnock tries to head clear a cross from the right, he cannot get any power on it and it falls to Foden who chests the ball before stabbing past the flat-footed Brentford keeper. 

There will be three minutes of added time – can City find the back of the net before the break? They’ve had 91 per cent possession this half…

Flekken’s played well but he nearly spills a Foden speculative effort…that would have been harsh on the goalkeeper who’s been Rahul Dravid like today (the Wall…). 

As I type that De Bruyne has a pop from outside the box, this effort a low curling number that Flekken save well low to his left. 

De Bruyne plays the pass of the night as he spots the run of Gvardiol into the box, the Belgian floating the ball over the Brentford defence in a manner that only he can. The left-back tries to find Haaland at the back post but the cross is 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. 

Throw for Brentford in the final third. It’s delivered Rory Delap-style into the heart of the box and City are forced to concede a corner. Can they create something from this set piece? ‘Very nearly’ is the answer as Toney gets the flick on 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 top causing problems for City. Ederson comes out of his area and heads the ball clear, very nearly to a Brentford man, before Bernardo gets in an important tackle. 

The visitors look good in attack, and you feel they will score at some point, but they’ve looked far from solid at the back. 

Another City corner – De Bruyne takes it from the right, but this is a collector’s item and he fails to beat the first man…criminal in terms of corner taking…

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 very nearly 1-1…a poor back pass from Collins plays in Haaland who is one on one with Flekken. He doesn’t show as composed a finish as Maupay did for the Brentford goal and the hosts’ goalkeeper saves well with his feet. 

Brentford 1 Man City 0

Maupay! It’s very much route one this, but it’s very much effective. It comes straight from a Flekken goal kick, Toney leaves it, as does the City defence and Maupay is one on one with Ederson. The striker keeps his cool and slots into the far corner. There’s no Maddison/darts celebration this time…Clever from Toney, had he touched it it may well have been flag offside, he didn’t and the goal stands.

Haaland is always looking to peel off defenders and De Bruyne is always looking to find his partner in crime. He nearly does that dinking a ball to the back post from the left that Brentford do well to head clear. The hosts had two men on the Norwegian there. 

The Brentford goalkeeper has already been called into action several times so far. 

Two chances and two saves from Flekken in a matter of 90 seconds. The first sees another Alvarez attempt save low of his left. The second see the Brentford stopper save a Kyle Walker long-range shot to his right. City are getting better by the minute. 

First chance for Brentford sees Toney set free through he middle, he tries to find the far right corner of the net, but Ederson saves well with his feet. It, however, wouldn’t have counted as the striker was offside…the flag stayed down until after the shot, something City haven’t been happy about in the past. 

More pressure from City. The ball is played square to Alvarez, who works some space before letting fly outside the box, it’s heading in until Flekken makes a fine save. Slowly but surely City are getting on top. 

Bernardo and De Bruyne link well down the right before the Belgian delivers a low ball at pace that Brentford clear. Thirty second or so later De Bruyne again has the ball on the right and this time he finds that man Haaland. The Norwegian shoots first time and the attempt is well blocked by Pinnock. 

City pass it around well but, so far, without much threat. As soon as Brentford win the ball back they’re looking to break at pace. 

The first attack from the hosts creates a bit of panic in the City box and a wave of noise from the stands. The ball is crossed from the right and Dias is forced to intervene and head for a corner. From the set piece the visitors clear the danger. 

City with the early possession, Foden crosses from the right but it’s to an area rather than a man and Brentford head clear. 

They’re under way in west London. Both side are in their first-choice kits, so the hosts in the red and white with black shorts and City in the sky blue get up with white shorts. 

Hey Jude is blaring out and we’re moments away from kick-off. 

On whether he expects to see De Bruyne link up well with Haaland…

“In the right moment yes, but if Erling is being marked by three players then he should pass somewhere else!”

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 something at Brentford – there’s an energy there and it’s a tough place to go. They’ve got an outside chance [of winning] but they are playing the best team in Europe.”

And it’s fair to say he’s made a statement with his choice of gear…I think he looks as though he’s lacking an easel, a brush and a canvas…

• Brentford became only the fifth side to do the double over Man City in the Pep Guardiola era – no side has beaten Pep’s City three times in a row.
• Haaland is yet to score against Brentford, the only side in the Premier League he’s faced and failed to find the net against. 

On Haaland being back in the starting XI for City…

“It’s perfect timing that De Bruyne and Haaland are fit and play from the start! We are up for the challenge and know when we on form we can offer anyone game and take on anyone in this league including Man City.”

Had he prepared to face Haaland? 

“I expected him to start – it’s better to prepare for the worst! He offers pace in behind and physicality in the box, that’s what we need to watch out for.”

On starting Sergio Reguilon…

“He was an important signing this window – similar to Rico [Henry]. We needed that.”

On how to combat 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 need to do to get a result…

“If we can play as we did against Tottenham we will be in a good place.” 

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BRENTFORD XI TO FACE MAN CITY: Flekkon, Mee, Collins, Pinnock, Reguilon, Roerslev, Jensen, Norgaard, Janelt, Maupay, Toney. Subs: Strakosha, Brierley, Fredrick, Yarmolyuk, Baptiste, Damsgaard, Ajer, Zanka, Lewis-Potter

Thomas Frank has made just one change to the side that were narrowly beaten 3-2 at Tottenham on Wednesday – on-loan Sergio Reguilon comes back in for Keane Lewis-Potter.

MAN CITY XI TO FACE BRENTFORD: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Gvardiol, Ake, Rodri, Silva, Foden, De Bruyne, Alvarez, Haaland. Subs: 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 City line-up for #BREMCI 👊

XI | Ederson, Walker (C), Dias, Ake, Gvardiol, Rodrigo, Bernardo, De Bruyne, Alvarez, Foden, Haaland

SUBS | 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 facing sides set to play Manchester City wasn’t big enough Thomas Frank has put into context just how tough a task his Brentford side face tonight by saying he thinks City can repeat their treble success this season.

City won the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup last year – becoming just the second English club to do so – in a season that will live long in the memory.

While some would see such an achievement as a one-off, Frank feels Pep Guardiola and his players could match the feat.

“They are flying at the moment, I think it is 10 wins and a draw in the last 11 games,” Frank said. “They are on track for doing the undoable – winning the treble again. I don’t think any team in the world in history has won the treble twice as a club.

“It is still possible for them, of course they will not talk about it – Pep will say ‘no, no, no. One game at a time’. All that boring stuff like I do!

“They have got the best players and best team in the world. End of discussion. With perhaps the best manager 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 might consider the ‘undoable’ – the double over Guardiola’s side. 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 victory in the reverse game on the final day of the campaign.

The sides come into the match with differing forms. City have won their past eight in all competitions while the hosts have won just two of their past 10.

“It’s going to be unbelievably difficult for us on Monday night, but the good news for Brentford fans is that we have big belief and big determination,” Frank admitted.

“We know that we are difficult for any team to play against, even Man City. The percentages are against us to win the game, but we believe we can.”