Bees Take on the Champions: Brentford Faces Man City Challenge
Brentford is going to have quite the test when they face current EPL champions, Manchester City. Although Man City has won the Premier League six times out of the last 10 seasons, it’s looking like this 2023-24 season will be the toughest for the club in a long time.
Match Details
Brentford vs. Manchester City will happen on Monday, February 5th, with a kick-off time of 20:00. The game is going to be at the Brentford ground, named the Gtech Community Stadium.
Team News
It’s quite unusual to see these days, but Manchester City will have a full squad to choose from in the match against Brentford. Man City will see the return of star players like Erling Haaland, John Stones, and Manuel Akanji, who have all missed several matches due to injury.
Brentford, on the other hand, has a few injuries and missing players to deal with, as Rico Henry, Bryan Mbeumo, Aaron Hickey, and Kevin Schade are all sidelined with injuries. Sergio Reguilon can’t face Man City due to being on loan from the team, while Yoane Wissa, Frank Onyeka, and Saman Ghoddos are all unavailable due to involvement in the African Cup of Nations.
Recent Form
Liverpool and Arsenal have a bit of breathing room at the top of the EPL ladder, but Man City, in third place, are on a rampage. The team has won four games and drawn one out of their last five matches, and their most recent game was a 3-2 victory over Newcastle.
Brentford is having less fun in the EPL at 15th place, with four losses and one win from their last five matches. Still, a 3-2 win against Nottingham Forest was their most recent result.
Head-to-Head
There aren’t masses of data between these two clubs, but it’s actually very interesting to see that the squads are 2-2 when counting the last four matchups. Brentford has won the most recent two games against Manchester City, although it’s hard to imagine this happening a third time.
Key Players to Watch
Manchester City fans will be glad to have Erling Haaland back in the team, as he’s not only the top goalscorer on the club, but the entire EPL with 14 goals (also tied with Liverpool’s Salah with 14 goals). Haaland is a ferocious player with an attacking mindset, and he’s been hard to replace. Man City also has the likes of Julián Álvarez and Bernardo Silva to score goals, as they both have six.
Brentford may not have big names like Manchester City, but there are still a few key players to keep an eye on. Bryan Mbeumo is undoubtedly the team’s best player with 7 goals, although he’s likely to miss the game due to injury. One player who can make a big impact is Mathias Jensen, who has been solid with three goals and three assists so far.
Tactical Overview
Manchester City are one of the best EPL teams at goals from free kicks, as well as finishing chances near the net and creating opportunities from longer shots. The team needs to get better at headers in the mid-field and protecting the lead once they have a goal.
Predictions
The odds over at Bet365 are clearly making Manchester City the favourite here, as 4/9 odds of Man City winning, 7/1 odds of Brentford winning, and 10/3 odds of a draw. It’s no surprise to see Erling Haaland as the best Anytime Goalscorer bet with 4/6 odds. Experts state Man City has a 69% chance of a win, Brentford at 13% to win, and a draw at 18%.
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