The ball has just been passed out by City and marks reprieve for Brentford. How quickly this game has changed… The Bees were camped deep in their own box just now, as the Cityzens played it from left to right, looking for that slight opening similar to their levelling goal. It’s all about patience it seems.

City’s tails are up now. Brentford still try and play calm and considered, possession-based football, yet De Bruyne and co. press high. Flekken has just been rushed as the Belgian nearly tackled the Dutchman on his goal line! He just survived there.

Haaland has now scored in his last four games in the competition (eight goals in total), his longest streak since a run of six games from 3rd May 2023 to 4th March 2023.

Goal Erling Braut Haaland

City force through another corner on the right side. Gundogan is short for De Bruyne. He gets it back and scampers down the right byline before Flekken makes a low save. However, it seems the Belgian maestro had just strayed offside.

The hosts look to have woken up a bit here, and now De Bruyne has won another corner. This time on the right, Savinho takes but it’s punched. In the next phase, De Bruyne fouls Mbeumo in over-eager fashion. Reprieve for Brentford.

Pep Guardiola was asked if he’d have his star man Erling Haaland available for this one after the Norwegian striker suffered a bereavement this week, yet Haaland is in the starting line-up this afternoon. Guardiola makes four changes to the side that beat West Ham 3-1 last time out with Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol, Bernardo Silva and Jeremy Doku all dropping to the bench. In come Kyle Walker, John Stones, Savinho and Ilkay Gundogan, making his first start since rejoining the club. City are without Nathan Ake after he picked up an ankle injury on international duty. Rodri has yet to play for the champions this season, but after featuring in Spain’s 4-1 Nations League win over Switzerland last weekend, he could emerge from the bench today.

Grealish dances down the left flank, yet his dummies are well-read and the ball is put behind for a corner on the left. It’s whipped in deep by De Bruyne and Gundogan can only chase to no avail.

So far, Brentford have really stifled City, while pressuring their defence with a plethora of great runs. Unless Guardiola’s side wake up, this one could add to a fine record for the Bees. They have avoided defeat in their last six matches when scoring first in the Premier League, funnily enough, since a 1-3 loss to Manchester City on 5th February 2024.

Ederson is forced into a quick-fire save from a right-sided corner! Brentford curl in the set-piece and Collins is unmarked in the middle of the penalty area to poke an effort on goal. He is denied by a brilliant reaction save from the Brazilian low down to his right.