Manchester City vs Brentford – Match preview and team news | OneFootball

Manchester City host Brentford on Saturday evening with their Premier League title hopes hanging by a thread.

Pep Guardiola’s side surrendered a lead to draw 3–3 with Everton in their last outing. That result leaves City five points behind leaders Arsenal with only four matches remaining. They no longer control their own destiny in this fascinating race. A victory is essential to keep the pressure on the Gunners before they travel to West Ham.

Brentford, meanwhile, arrive at the Etihad Stadium firmly in the hunt for European football. Keith Andrews has guided the Bees to seventh place following an impressive season. They sit just one point behind Bournemouth and remain a major threat on the counter-attack.

City are currently unbeaten in fifteen league matches on home soil. That said, they have struggled to find their usual scoring rhythm against the West London side. Guardiola’s men average just 1.4 goals per game against the Bees. This is their lowest scoring rate against any opponent under the Spaniard’s tenure.

Brentford occupy seventh spot and possess the highest shot conversion rate in the division. This clash represents a final hurdle for City before next week’s FA Cup final. Anything less than three points could effectively hand the title to North London.

Manchester City vs Brentford – Match preview and team news

Team news

Manchester City

Pep Guardiola is waiting on the fitness of Rodri before finalising his starting lineup. The influential midfielder has missed three matches with a groin problem. Ruben Dias is also nearing a return, but remains a significant doubt today.

However, Josko Gvardiol has returned to training following surgery on a broken leg. The Croatian could play a part in the final weeks of the campaign. Phil Foden is among those pushing for a start as Guardiola looks to freshen up his side.

Brentford

Jordan Henderson returns to the matchday squad after being unavailable since late March. Vitaly Janelt is also nearing a return following another week of full training. However, Rico Henry remains sidelined despite returning to light work on the grass.

Fabio Carvalho and Antoni Milambo are ruled out for the remainder of the season. Igor Thiago will lead the line as he chases the Premier League Golden Boot. The Brazilian striker currently sits just three goals behind Erling Haaland.

Form

Manchester City

City saw their six-game winning streak end with that dramatic 3–3 draw against Everton. They have dropped twelve points from winning positions since the turn of the year. This vulnerability has allowed Arsenal to establish a comfortable cushion at the top.

Despite these defensive lapses, City remain formidable at home. They have scored at least twice in thirteen of their last fifteen games at the Etihad.

Brentford

The Bees ended a six-game winless run by thumping West Ham 3–0 last weekend. They have developed a reputation as late-goal specialists during this historic campaign.

Only Liverpool have scored more goals in the final fifteen minutes than Andrews’ men. Brentford have also proven incredibly clinical in front of goal. Their conversion rate of 13.8% is the highest in the entire Premier League.

Predicted lineups

Manchester City Predicted XI: Donnarumma; Nunes, Khusanov, Guehi, O’Reilly; Gonzalez, Bernardo; Semenyo, Cherki, Doku; Haaland

Brentford Predicted XI: Kelleher; Kayode, Van den Berg, Collins, Hickey; Jensen, Yarmolyuk; Ouattara, Damsgaard, Lewis-Potter; Thiago

How to watch Manchester City vs Brentford?

UK viewers can watch the match live on Sky Sports Main Event. Coverage begins at 17:00 BST ahead of the late kick-off. Subscribers can also stream the action via the Sky Go app.

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