Brentford vs Manchester City will provide a tricky Premier League match day 21 fixture in the new year.
Brentford vs Manchester City Preview
The Bees were underwhelming in the Premier League last season but they did just enough to beat the drop and secure Premier League safety. However, they have made strong statements at home this term and are now flying high under Thomas Frank once again. As for Manchester City, it has been a mixed season for them despite their great start.
As of the time of writing, Brentford have 17 points from 12 games and they are placed 11th on the log. Manchester City have picked up 23 points and they are ranked 2nd on the standings.
Brentford lost Ivan Toney before the season started, but they have barely missed him. The Bees have been tidy in their business, winning games at home and avoiding a massacre on the road. In terms of personnel, they have Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo in attack to get the goals for them. The season got underway for them at home against Crystal Palace and they won 2-1. In the second game of the season, they lost 2-0 to Liverpool at Anfield before another home win over Southampton got them their second win of the new campaign. Well, it was yet another loss on the road as Manchester City got the better of them on match day four.
In the League Cup, Brentford progressed at the expense of Leyton Orient before they returned to the Premier League to win just two of their next five games. The Bees lost to Spurs on the road, drew with West Ham at home, defeated both Ipswich and Wolves at home, and lost 2-1 to Manchester United at Old Trafford. Back in the league cup, Brentford needed penalties to beat Sheffield Wednesday. In November, the Bees continued their win at home, lose away form as they beat Bournemouth at home and lost 2-1 to Fulham in the London derby.
As of the time of writing, Manchester City had lost just once in the Premier League until November, but since a Man City slump in performance, they have suffered two more losses and are now chasing Liverpool in the title race. The recent slump also followed them into the Champions League where they lost scandalously to then Ruben Amorim’s Sporting Lisbon.
After the crushing 4-0 bashing by Tottenham at home in the Premier League, Guardiola branded his team as “fragile defensively,” and acknowledged that City’s confidence has been hit but vowed that they’d break out of this slump and return to their previous heights.
“We will stand up and do it,” said the celebrated City boss.
“In this moment we are fragile defensively,” Guardiola said, via the BBC. “We started really well as normal but we could not score and then after that we conceded. After that we conceded some more which is difficult for our emotions right now.
“In eight years we have never lived this kind of situation. Now we have to live it and break it winning the next games, especially the next one. Now we have to live it, and we have to break it winning the next games, and especially the next one. We will be back. We will do it,” the former Barcelona manager concluded.
Brentford have won two times in their past 7 meetings with Manchester City. The Bees are always a tough nut to crack at home or away at the Etihad. Currently, Guardiola’s side are low on confidence and that could be the issue for them going into the game. However, the champions do have enough quality in their squad to beat any team in the Premier League.
Match tickets
The epic match at Brentford Community Stadium in London kicks off on Tuesday, 14th of January 2025 at 19:30 GMT.
Brentford’s 17,250-capacity stadium will host this fixture between the Bees and the Citizens.
Getting Brentford vs Manchester City tickets could take a lot of work given the standard of this game. Hence, you are advised to search ticket reselling sites should they be expectedly sold out on each club’s channels.
Team news
Line-ups
Thomas Frank and Brentford sold Toney last summer but they have found themselves in a fine place with the form of Yoanne Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo in attack. Josh Dasilva and Rico Henry are long-term absentees for the Bees. Meanwhile, the likes of Norgaard, Janelt, and Flekken might have a role to play in this key game.
Brentford XI: Flekken; Roerslev, Collins, Pinnock, Van den Berg; Damsgaard, Norgaard, Janelt; Mbeumo, Wissa, Lewis-Potter.
At the time of writing, the champions have been struggling with five defeats and a draw in their past six games in all competitions. The level of the players have dropped and Guardiola will be keen to make some adjustments in the new year. Meanwhile, Ballon D’or winner Rodrigo is out until the end of the season, while Kevin De Bruyne has been struggling with some injury problems as well and Oscar Bobb is not expected back until later in the new year. Midfielders Gundogan and Kovacic should continue their midfield partnership, while Haaland will be expected to lead the line if he is fit.
Manchester City XI: Ederson; Josko Gvardiol, Manuel Akanji, Kyle Walker, Ruben Diaz, Matteo Kovacic, Gundogan, Silva, Jack Grealish, Erling Haaland, Phil Foden.
Prediction for Brentford vs Manchester City
Brentford were really bad without Ivan Toney last season but they had Wissa and Mbeumo step up after he left them. As of the time of writing, the Bees have won five of their opening six home games in the Premier League – the best result by any side in the division this season. Get your Brentford tickets early though.
As for Manchester City, they are going through a rough patch with some players currently injured in the team and poor performances, it is difficult to predict the City side that will turn up.
The Brentford Community Stadium has been producing a lot of goals this season, and this might just be another goal-fest.
Brentford 2-2 Manchester City