“They were wet like we were!” – Pep Guardiola sends special message to Manchester City fans after Brentford win | OneFootball

Manchester City fans have been issued with a special message of gratitude by their side’s head coach following the 2-0 win over Brentford on Wednesday night.

Rayan Cherki and Savinho were on the scoresheet as the Blues registered their berth in the Carabao Cup semi-final, building on their strong run of recent form and strengthening their prospects of finishing the season with silverware.

City have won their last six games in all competitions and can keep up the pressure on Premier League leaders Arsenal if they beat West Ham on Saturday afternoon, with the Gunners facing a tricky test against Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Sunday evening.

Pep Guardiola’s side have found their footing and are slowly building an identity and style of play as they progress deeper into their opening campaign under director of football Hugo Viana, who ushered in a new era at the Etihad Stadium this summer by making sweeping changes to the first-team ranks in the backdrop of a trophyless 2024-25 season.

City are still in a nascent stage of their transition but are punching above their weight and remaining on the heels of a formidable Arsenal side, who are favourites to end a 21-year wait and win the Premier League title come May 2026.

Guardiola’s men secured arguably their most monumental result in 2025 last week as City came from behind to beat Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu to take a giant stride towards the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 stage,

Should City remain in the title race by the spring of 2026, the Carabao Cup can offer a young dressing room a shot at silverware in perfect time to fuel their title charge – as has so often been the case for the Blues under Guardiola since 2017.

Speaking to reporters after Wednesday’s home win over Brentford, Guardiola was keen to begin one post-match interview by thanking the City fans who made the effort to watch their side in action on a cold, wet and windy evening in east Manchester.

“Thank you to the incredible fans, in a difficult day; the windy, 95 minutes raining, raining, raining,” Guardiola said. “They were wet like we were! So, thank you for coming, to be with us on an uncomfortable day, in this competition!”

Another to receive individual praise was 19-year-old debutant Charlie Gray, who made his first senior appearance for the club from the substitute’s bench late on in the contest.

On the teenage midfielder, Guardiola added: “He arrived here at five years old, five years old! Making his debut for Man City; really, really good! He’s a brain player, so, so clever, intelligent, a proper holding midfielder.”

Having made several changes to his lineup in midweek, Guardiola is expected to revert to his strongest starting XI when City face West Ham at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday afternoon – wherein three points can take the Blues to the top of the table ahead of Arsenal’s visit to Merseyside on Sunday.