Manchester City, one of the usual favorites in the Premier League, have suffered another bump in their inconsistent season. The 2-2 draw against Brentford not only ended a three-game winning streak but underlined the struggles of a team still in search of consistency.
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City promising and inaccurate
Manchester City did nothing but miss golden chances throughout the first half at Gtech Community Stadium. Immediately, in the game's opening minute, Gvardiol, Haaland, and Matheus Nunes proved that there were offensive options from Manchester City; precision, though, was entirely absent.
As has been the trend this season, Kevin De Bruyne controlled the midfield with passes that could have resulted in goals. One of those was squandered by Matheus Nunes, who missed a sure chance in front of goalkeeper Mark Flekken. While City dominated possession, Brentford, though outclassed, made the most of City's lapses to keep the match open.
Foden shines, but Brentford fights back
Till the second half, finally, at the 66-minute mark, the scoreboard opened when a well-measured cross by De Bruyne was latched onto by Phil Foden and finished with class. That was indeed a well-deserved lead since all this time, City had dominated.
Then Foden doubled the lead shortly afterwards to prove again why he's an integral part of Guardiola's team. But what had looked like being the signal for a comfortable victory proved to be a trap.
Brentford responded with a goal just minutes later, as, in the 81st minute, Wissa capitalized on Ake's defensive error, slotting through and revitalizing hope for the home side. With City digging deep in the last ten minutes, Brentford took advantage, forcing a second equalizer in injury time, Norgaard soaring high and burying the header beyond the outstretched reach of the goalkeeper.
Frailty in defense and an absence of control
The draw exposed two recurring issues for Manchester City this season: the inability to manage leads and defensive fragility in crucial moments. Pep Guardiola acknowledged this, stating that despite many positives in the performance, the team lacked control in the closing stages.
With a 2-0 lead, we have to close it out, but we don't have those specific players to defend in the box, so we have to do it by controlling the ball." Guardiola also pointed to poor decision-making in key moments. Players like Matheus Nunes and Savinho had clear chances to extend the lead but failed to capitalize on opportunities that could have sealed the game.
"We won long balls and could've countered, but we didn't make the right decisions. Matheus [Nunes] in the first half, Savinho a couple of times, Erling a couple of times. Phil, with a little more composure, would've attacked the opponent and the goalkeeper more." Brentford's resilience shines through
The draw was disappointing for City, while for Brentford, it was a moral victory. Wissa and Norgaard were the bright sparks in the Bees' attack and proved why they remain one of the most dreaded teams in the league. Their defensive solidity and quick, efficient counterattacks held the key to gaining a valuable point.
Wissa, in particular, stood out again, surpassing Ivan Toney as Brentford’s all-time leading scorer in the Premier League with 37 goals.
Current standings
The result leaves Manchester City sixth with 35 points, an annoying position for a team that was supposed to top the table going into this stage of the season. Meanwhile, Brentford went 10th with 28 points to cement their spot in the league's top half.