Premier League GW23 - Brentford vs Man City

Brentford vs Man City | Picture Credits: Premier League Website

The defending champions were put to the test in a high-stakes match between Brentford and Manchester City as they attempted to win the Premier League title. At the Brentford Community Stadium, an exciting game with plenty of turns and beautiful moments played out.

Line Ups:

BRENTFORD (3-5-2): Mark Flekken; Nathan Collins, Ethan Pinnock, Ben Mee; Mads Roerslev, Mathias Jensen, Christian Norgaard, Vitaly Janelt, Sergio Reguilon; Ivan Toney, Neal Maupay.

BRENTFORD SUBS: Thomas Strakosha, Zanka, Kristoffer Ajer, Keane Lewis-Potter, Mikkel Damsgaard, Shandon Baptiste, Yehor Yarmoliuk, Ethan Brierley, Benjamin Fredrick.

MANCHESTER CITY (4-1-4-1): Ederson; Kyle Walker, Ruben Dias, Nathan Ake, Josko Gvardiol; Rodri; Bernardo Silva, Julian Alvarez, Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden; Erling Haaland.

MANCHESTER CITY SUBS: Stefan Ortega, John Stones, Mateo Kovacic, Jack Grealish, Jeremy Doku, Manuel Akanji, Matheus Nunes, Oscar Bobb, Rico Lewis.

Community Stadium | Picture Credits: talkSPORT

First Half: Early Shock - Maupay Stuns City

An unexpected turn of events occurred in the 21st minute when Brentford's Maupay took advantage of defensive disorganisation. A long ball caught City off guard as it tore up their defence. Maupay was able to break through and coolly tuck a low finish into the bottom-left corner after Toney's fake tricked the defenders. The hosts launched a masterfully executed counterattack to take a 1-0 lead.

Mark Flekken, the custodian for Brentford, came out on top, making an incredible nine saves to keep his club ahead. In a one-on-one, his acrobatics denied City's Erling Haaland, demonstrating remarkable shot-stopping ability. The Bees fought valiantly to hold onto their lead, feeling accomplished as they entered halftime.

In the 45th + 3 minute, City equalised as halftime approached. Pinnock of Brentford missed the penalty kick with a poor header, which fell to Phil Foden. Foden finished clinically, driving the ball low into the net and beyond of Flekken's reach. With a commanding display, City levelled the score, paving the way for an exciting second half.

Second Half: Foden's Double - City Takes Control

In the 53rd minute, Foden performed admirably, marking a turning point. Unusually, Foden scored with a header, outpacing Flekken to the lower right corner by vanishing inside the box. Foden's crisp finishing and De Bruyne's accurate cross reversed the tide in City's favour, making it 2-1.

With a hat-trick in the 70th minute, Foden cemented his legacy in the annals of history. The youthful master moved past the final defender with poise and technique, then slotted the ball past Flekken with ease. Foden's genius was ultimately what made the difference, as the visitors won 3-1.

With their dramatic victory, Manchester City moved up to second position and is now only a short distance behind leaders Liverpool. Foden's treble had a major impact as his exploits demonstrated his maturity and clinical edge. As City closes the gap at the top with a game remaining, Liverpool is under increasing pressure.

City's Resilience Shines

Manchester City celebrated a hard-fought and well-deserved 3-1 victory as the final whistle blew at Brentford. Foden turned out to be the star of the show as City's tenacity overcame Brentford's immediate shock. There will be more exciting matches in the Premier League as the fight for the title heats up. Brentford travels to Wolves, while City plays Everton next.

Maupay scored a goal and broke the deadlock for Brentford | Picture Credits: Premier League Website

Foden scored a late goal in the first half and levelled the score to 1-1 | Picture Credits: Premier League Website

Foden scored a goal and gave Man City the lead | Picture Credits: Premier League Website

Foden scored another goal and gave Man City a 1-3 lead | Picture Credits: Premier League Website