After Arsenal’s win over Liverpool last night Manchester City now have a moment to seize. A win for City at the GTech Community Stadium will move the champions within two points of Liverpool with a game in hand. While there are plenty of twists and turns to come this season tonight’s game against Brentford now feels like a moment City have to seize.
For Pep Guardiola’s side to get within two points of the Premier League summit they’ll have to beat Thomas Frank’s side. The Bees have been a bogey team of sorts for City recently. They did the double over the world champions last season. Brentford won 2-1 at the Etihad off the back of an Ivan Toney brace before the 2022 World Cup. Thomas Frank’s side also won on the final day of the Premier League season with a 1-nil win over the champions. On that occasion, Pep Guardiola rested the majority of his star players with an eye on the FA Cup final and the UEFA Champions League final that followed the fixture.
Speaking before City takes on Brentford Pep Guardiola knows his side will have to be at their best to take all three points back to Manchester. When asked about Thomas Frank’s side the City manager said: “We know in the past how difficult they have been. Even when we won, always it was tight and we lost twice last season. We know the difficulty for the way they play, the standards they have, they are clear and they believe it, they apply it really well.”
While there will be plenty of twists and turns this season tonight’s game feels like a moment for Manchester City to seize. If they do they will put both Arsenal and Liverpool under pressure in what could be a riveting title race.
