This was touted as Erling Haaland’s grand return to the Manchester City starting XI. Perhaps there could be a shootout with Brentford striker Ivan Toney. He was also sidelined for quite some time due to a gambling ban, but is getting back on his feet again.
For a while, it looked like Neal Maupay could put both sides in the ascendancy after Mark Frecken’s memorable counterattack home goal gave Brentford a shock lead midway through the first half. But at the end of the day, this was about another attacker with a talent that looks downright irresistible on a night like this.
After Liverpool’s loss to Arsenal on Sunday, the Premier League title is back in City’s hands – exactly where they want to be. Phil Foden had the ball at his feet in front of goal and at one point even had it over his head, which was exactly where he wanted it.
Foden doesn’t score many goals with his head, but he scored here to put City up 2-1. He chested, bounced and finished to score the equalizer, saving the best of his hat-trick and adding an explosion to Haaland’s lay-off. Every touch was perfect, and no one nearby could even smell it.
City have been on an eerie run since winning the Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia, winning all seven games. None of Brentford’s red and white players could stop Foden, who scored a double against City last season. Will anyone on his team be able to do the same? This question is being asked more and more strongly.
Manager Pep Guardiola was wary. I didn’t need to watch the pregame montage on the big screen to remember what happened last season. Haaland’s return to the team was a fascinating subplot, marking the first time since the start of the league season that manager Pep Guardiola was able to start both Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne.
Brentford’s recent poor form has been well documented and Frecken, who felt the burn from City early on, was given notice of what could be a busy night. He made three fine saves in the first 15 minutes, including two to deny Julian Alvarez, who Guardiola had started in the center of midfield behind Haaland. De Bruyne had a similar point, and he took it literally.
Frecken also kept out Kyle Walker’s firecracker and the players in front of him put their bodies on the block, with Ethan Pinnock denying Haaland in the crucial seventh minute. Frecken could do no wrong, and that feeling was reinforced when his long ball provided the assist for the breakthrough goal. I call it the sky blue bolt because it was stunning. Perhaps the real assist should have been credited to Ivan Toney, who set a screen against Nathan Ake in basketball style. That allowed Frecken’s clearance to continue running to Maupay, who passed Ederson with minimal fuss.
Maupay seems to enjoy getting his opponents involved. He collided with Ruben Diaz in a defensive corner and would earn a yellow card for a late attack on Rodri. But no one can say he isn’t on fire in front of goal. He has scored in each of the last five games.
The first half was a mini-epic for Frecken, racking up eight saves, including one in the 44th minute that saw Foden round the post. Even if things didn’t go as planned, somehow things still went as planned. Also worth mentioning was his one-on-one save against Haaland and his ability to keep Josko Gvardiol at bay on the right.
City had a number of other near misses, including a goal-bound Bernardo Silva that hit Mats Roelslev and went wide, but Frecken remained clean until the interval. I couldn’t reach it. That would have been too much.
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Brentford threatened in the first half when Ederson parried Sergio Reguilon’s cross and shot, but Dias had to make a crucial intervention to clear Ederson off his line and block Vitaly Jannert. But Foden finally equalized after Pinnock failed to head clear from De Bruyne’s cross.
Brentford worked tirelessly for each other in a 3-5-2 shape, often close to a 5-3-2, and believed they could cause damage to City. There was always a chance he could get something from a set piece. But with this City team, it can feel inexorable and inevitable. Many of their matches are David vs. Goliath.
They took the lead in the 53rd minute, but after some resistance from Brentford, they were given another soft concession. De Bruyne checked in on the inside left and Foden ran away from Reguilon. The cross was made to size. The unmarked Foden tightened his neck muscles to increase the power and accuracy of his headers. Should Frecken have been dealt with more firmly? After his first-half heroics, it felt reckless to ask.
Brentford never stopped believing. He created a chance to tie the score. Christian Norgaard was thwarted by a big block from Dias, Maupay was thwarted by a block from Gvardiol and Toney took too many volleys on the side in a good position. Foden seized the opportunity to score a hat-trick.
