Manchester City vs. Brentford: Prediction, Preview & Betting Tips

Manchester City have won their last five league games in a row and are unbeaten at the Etihad in 90 minutes since November 2022. City have won four of their last six head-to-head meetings with Brentford.

Additionally, both teams to score has occurred in three of City's last four in the league and four of Brentford's last five Premier League matches.

It's hard to see City failing to win this one, but it could be a fairly tight encounter against a Brentford side that often cause City a few problems. Manchester City 2-1 Brentford.

Two sides that have started the season in impressive fashion lock horns in Manchester this weekend Manchester City take on Brentford.

• Date: 14/09/2024
• Kick-off time: 15:00
• Location: Etihad Stadium, Manchester

Manchester City are in pursuit of further greatness under Pep Guardiola as they eye a record five consecutive Premier League titles, a feat that would beat the current record of four in a row, held by City themselves. Having already secured four in a row, City enter the 2024-25 season with typically high expectations, once again being widely tipped to lift the trophy come May. Their early form suggests they're more than likely to be in and amongst top spot come may, if that was ever in doubt.

Erling Haaland’s form has been a major factor in City's flying start. The Norwegian striker, who has been breaking goalscoring records since signing for the Sky Blues, looks rejuvenated after a long summer break. Haaland has already notched seven goals in his first three appearances, reminding the league why he is such a feared figure in front of goal. His blend of physicality, pace, and clinical finishing makes him a constant threat, and Brentford’s defence will need to be at its best to avoid falling victim to his exploits.

Another standout performer for City has been Rico Lewis. The 19-year-old right-back has impressed with his maturity and quality in the early weeks of the season. His ability to seamlessly fit into Guardiola’s system, both defensively and in possession, has allowed him to keep the experienced Kyle Walker out of the starting line-up. Lewis’ rise to prominence is welcomed timing for Guardiola, with Walker looking like he's now amidst an inevitable physical decline. His consistency has been key, and his contributions on both ends of the pitch have already drawn plaudits from fans and pundits alike.

City's impressive performances have not only been about individuals, though. As always under Guardiola, the team operates with a fluidity and tactical discipline that makes them difficult to play against. Their control of possession, combined with the intensity of their pressing when out of possession, suffocates opponents and limits their opportunities to get a foothold in matches.

On the other side of the pitch, Brentford will head to the Etihad with cautious optimism after their solid start to the season. The Bees are looking to improve on a somewhat disappointing campaign last season where Thomas Frank's men finished 16th. This time, though, they've opened with statements of intent, with their promising early season form coming in spite of Toney's departure to Saudi Arabia, who leaves having contributed a huge chunk of goals to the Bees in the last few seasons.

In Toney's absence, Brentford have ready-made attacking talismen to shoulder the burden in Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo. Both players have taken on the responsibility of leading the line, and their performances have been integral to the team's early success. Mbeumo, in particular, has been in scintillating form, netting three goals in as many matches. His pace and movement off the ball have made him a handful for defenders, and his excellent finishing ability has paid dividends on numerous occasions. Wissa, too, has been productive, scoring twice in the first three games, and his combination play with Mbeumo gives Brentford an unpredictable and dynamic forward line.

Thomas Frank will be pleased with how his side have adapted to life without Toney, with Brentford having managed to maintain their attacking threat while also looking more solid at the back. Frank's tactical flexibility, coupled with the hard-working nature of his squad, makes Brentford a difficult team to break down. They are compact in defence, yet capable of launching swift counter-attacks, and their set-piece prowess remains a valuable weapon.

Ironically, the Bees were the last side to claim a win (excluding penalty shootouts) over City at the Etihad, claiming a 2-1 victory back in November 2022.

This game will not be televised live to UK audiences.

Manchester City Team News:

City could once again be without Phil Foden, who has missed a number of games through illness and is a doubt for this one.

Oscar Bobb remains injured with a broken leg picked up in preseason.

Predicted lineup: Emerson; Lewis, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol; Kovačić; Doku, Bernardo, De Bruyne, Grealish; Haaland.

Brentford Team News:

The Bees will be without Igor Thiago, Josh Dasilva and Rico Henry who are all out injured.

Thomas Frank will likely name an unchanged XI from the side that took to the field against Southampton.

Predicted lineup: Flekken; Ajer, Collins, Pinnock, Janelt; Jensen, Nørgaard, Damsgaard; Mbeumo, Wissa, Schade.

City's latest encounter saw them travel to London to face West Ham in a potentially tricky encounter. Despite the difficulty of the fixture, City made light work of the Hammers, with the scintillating Erling Haaland bagging a hat-trick in a 3-1 win.

The Norweigan opened the scoring after just ten minutes before a Rúben Dias own goal just nine minutes later levelled the scoring. However, it didn't take long for City to retake the lead as Haaland scored his second on 30 minutes, before sealing the game just seven minutes from time.

That result followed a 4-1 win over Ipswich Town and a 2-0 win away at Chelsea.

Brentford's most recent outing was a comfortable 3-0 win over Southampton. Brentford taught a very naive Southampton side a harsh lesson as their ferocious and coordinated pressing capitalised on Southampton's attempts to play out from the back, forcing the visits Saints into a number of errors leading directly to goals.

Brian Mbeumo put Brentford 1-0 on the stroke of half-time before bagging his second midway through the second half, with Yoane Wissa finishing the job shortly after Mbeumo's second.

That game was preceded by a 2-0 loss away at Liverpool and a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace.

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