The Daily Star Ireland
Currently sitting in 11th place in the Premier League, Brentford enjoys a comfortable mid-table position. They are seven points shy of European qualification and maintain an 11-point cushion above the relegation zone. In their most recent league outing, Brentford secured a dominant 5-0 victory against bottom-side Southampton, ending a four-game winless streak that included one draw and three losses. Last weekend, they hosted Plymouth in an FA Cup tie.
Defending Premier League champions Manchester City are struggling to meet expectations this season. They currently sit 6th in the table, two points behind the Champions League qualification spots. After a challenging period between November and December, where they managed just one league win alongside two draws and six defeats, Pep Guardiola’s side has shown some resurgence. Recent victories over Leicester (2-0) and West Ham (4-1) have provided a boost. They also hosted Salford in an FA Cup clash last weekend. However, their 22nd position in the Champions League standings indicates they have significant ground to cover to advance further.
Brentford faces multiple injury concerns ahead of this match. Key defenders Ben Mee, Ethan Pinnock, and Kristoffer Ajer are unavailable, as are midfielder Fabio Carvalho and forward Igor Thiago. Long-term absentees Rico Henry, Aaron Hickey, Josh Dasilva, and Gustavo Nunes also remain sidelined. Despite this, Brentford boasts the fifth-best attack in the league. Bryan Mbeumo (13 goals, 3 assists), Yoane Wissa (10 goals, 2 assists), and Kevin Schade (5 goals, 2 assists) all scored in their last outing and are expected to feature again. Danish international Mikkel Damsgaard (2 goals, 7 assists) continues to play a pivotal role.
For Manchester City, Ballon d’Or winner Rodri, defender Ruben Dias, and long-absent winger Oscar Bobb are unavailable. Goalkeeper Ederson and defender John Stones are doubtful. While Phil Foden has been less impactful this season compared to his stellar performance last year, he scored recently against Fulham. Erling Haaland remains a key threat with 16 league goals to his name, while young Brazilian winger Savinho (1 goal, 5 assists) may also feature in the starting lineup.
Prediction
Although Brentford’s seven home matches this season have seen only 11 goals combined, none have ended in a goalless draw. Similarly, Manchester City has broken the deadlock in each of their last 11 top-flight games. This trend suggests an exciting match with goals expected from both sides.
Prediction: Brentford 2-2 Manchester City
