Manchester City easily defeated Burnley 3-1 in their recent match, while Thomas Frank's Brentford side couldn't capitalize on an early lead against Tottenham Hotspur, losing 3-2.
The match between Brentford and Tottenham at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was quite eventful, with Neal Maupay mimicking James Maddison's dart-throwing celebration after scoring the opening goal. However, despite Maupay's effort, Brentford ended up losing to Tottenham, with goals from Destiny Udogie, Richarlison, and Brennan Johnson overshadowing Maupay's contribution.
For Brentford, the defeat against Tottenham was a harsh reality check after their uplifting win over Nottingham Forest. Currently, they are struggling in 15th place in the league table, having won only one of their last nine matches. Despite their struggles, Brentford have managed to score against most teams they've faced at home in the Premier League this season.
Meanwhile, Manchester City seems to be on a roll, winning their eighth consecutive match, including a recent victory against Burnley. They are currently in second place in the league standings, maintaining pressure on Liverpool and Arsenal.
Although they've had some defensive issues, conceding goals in most of their recent matches, they've been consistent in scoring, with at least two goals in their last six Premier League games.
Despite Manchester City's dominance, Brentford proved to be a tough opponent for them last season, securing victories in both encounters. However, Pep Guardiola's side hasn't lost three consecutive matches against the same opponent under his management, indicating they'll be eager to avoid a similar fate against Brentford this time.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Brentford's new addition, Sergio Reguilon, on loan for the winter, will add strength to the team's defense. However, he wasn't able to play against his parent club in the midweek match. Unfortunately, full-backs Aaron Hickey and Rico Henry are still nursing injuries.The attacking duo of Bryan Mbeumo and Kevin Schade will also be absent due to injuries. Additionally, Frank Onyeka and Yoane Wissa are away for the Africa Cup of Nations, while Saman Ghoddos is competing in the Asian Cup with Iran.
Brentford's lineup is likely to include Maupay and Toney leading the attack, with Maupay having scored in every game so far in 2024 and Toney aiming for his fifth consecutive goal in Premier League home games.
On the other hand, Manchester City's head coach, Guardiola, expects to have a full squad available for Monday's match in London, with Manuel Akanji having recovered from his knee injury.
Guardiola faces tough decisions in selecting his starting lineup, particularly in the forward positions between Alvarez and Erling Haaland. Haaland, who played the final 20 minutes against Burnley, is now fit to start.
Kyle Walker and Ruben Dias might return to the defense after getting rest in the midweek game, but Matheus Nunes performed well against Burnley and is likely to retain his spot in midfield.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Brentford possible starting lineup:Flekken; Collins, Mee, Pinnock; Roerslev, Janelt, Jensen, Norgaard, Reguilon; Toney, Maupay
Manchester City possible starting lineup:
Ederson; Walker, Dias, Stones, Ake; Nunes, Rodri; Silva, De Bruyne, Foden; Haaland
EXPERT PREDICTION PREDICTION
Brentford 1-4 Manchester City
Although Brentford might continue their impressive scoring streak at the Gtech Community Stadium, they've faced a recurring issue of losing points after taking the lead this season. In fact, they've lost 23 points from winning positions, the highest in the league.
Now, facing a fully fit Manchester City squad, who interestingly have won their last three away games in the Premier League despite initially falling behind in each of them, Brentford's struggles are likely to worsen. The Citizens' impressive run of form is expected to persist, further complicating Brentford's situation.
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