Manchester City couldn’t secure a win against Brentford despite leading 2-0 until the 81st minute.
After dropping points at the brink of victory, old frustrations resurfaced for Pep Guardiola. The Manchester City coach pointed to injuries sidelining key players as a significant factor in the team’s struggles, especially in defense.
City paid the price for their defensive lapse late in the game at Brentford’s home ground. In Tuesday’s Premier League clash, Phil Foden’s goals in the 66th and 78th minutes had seemingly secured a win for City. However, Brentford pulled one back in the 82nd minute, and in the second minute of added time, they netted the equalizer to snatch a point.
This season, City has been hit hard by injuries, something Guardiola has repeatedly lamented. While some players have returned to action, defensive stalwarts like Ruben Dias and John Stones, along with midfield anchor Rodri, remain unavailable.
After the match, Guardiola attributed the draw to the absence of key injured players.
“We’re playing with different kinds of footballers now… In the end, we couldn’t manage the situation. They kept six or seven players in the box, and crosses kept coming in. At times, they were better than us. They’re also taller and stronger than us (in aerial duels).”
Before conceding late goals, City had struggled to break through Brentford’s defense for much of the game. Despite Foden’s brace, Guardiola expressed dissatisfaction with the attacking performance while also acknowledging Brentford’s efforts.
“We lacked many things today, especially in attack. We didn’t make the right decisions. There were moments where we could’ve countered, won long balls, and progressed with speed, but we didn’t capitalize.”
“I also want to give credit to the opposition. Brentford is always a tough, really tough opponent. They are honest and generous in their play, and I like their style. But today, we had chances.”
Following the draw, Manchester City sits sixth in the Premier League table with 35 points from 21 matches. Brentford is in 10th with 21 points. Liverpool leads the table with 47 points from 20 matches.
