Premier League: Brentford Next for the Buoyant Sky Blues

Manchester City vs Brentford

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City have made an impressive start to their Premier League title defence with three wins from three and, next up for the Sky Blues it’s the upwardly mobile Brentford.   

Thomas Frank’s Bees are sitting comfortably in sixth place after three games in their fourth season in the top flight and they are beginning to look like a properly established top flight club. Both teams signed off for the international break with a 3-1 victory, the Sky Blues won away to West Ham United while Brentford beat Southampton at home.

At SBOTOP odds of 1.16 to win the hosts are almost universally expected to see off the Bees, but they have been stung by Frank’s fighters before…and more than once. Can the visitors do it again? It’s not impossible but who’d bet against City at the moment?

 

Talking Points

Rodri set for City return

Yes the Premier League 2024 betting odds back Guardiola’s boys to sweep up again this year and the latest news coming out of the Etihad Stadium makes the situation a little more ominous for their rivals.Midfield anchor Rodri was injured in the Euro 2024 final and he has missed the start of the league campaign. But he made a first appearance of the season for Spain in the Nations League this week and came through unscathed. And once the Etihad medical staff have taken their look at him it looks like Rodri will be available for selection this weekend. A little further forward Phil Foden is a key player too and he missed England’s Nations League games this week with illness. If Foden is passed fit as well there will be two imposing characters ready to face the Bees. But there is not such good news from centre back Nathan Ake who was stretchered off with a muscle injury during the Netherlands’ 2-2 draw with Germany on Tuesday.     

 

In other Premier League 2024 news Erling Haaland has made an electric start to the season with seven goals from three games, including two hat-tricks; and the winner of the last two Golden Boots will take some stopping again. He scored against Chelsea on the opening day and bagged three against both Ipswich Town and West Ham United, and Haaland will be keen to bag at least one against the Bees who have previously coped with him better than most, conceding one goal from the Norwegian in three matches.       

 

Mbeumo’s time to shine  

Now that Ivan Toney has headed off to the sunny climes of Saudi Arabia striker Bryan Mbeumo has stepped out of the shadows and scored three goals, including a well taken brace against the Saints before the international break. The match yielded the most shots of any Premier League match this season, 20 for the Bees and 18 for the Saints and the newcomers certainly tested Brentford’s defence. But with Nathan Collins and Ethan Pinnock at the heart of defence the Bees were happy to concede possession, kept the Saints at a distance and blocked six shots. They will have their wok cut out at the Etihad Stadium and Collins particularly will have the bit between his teeth. He was annoyed in the aftermath of the Republic of Ireland’s poor showing in this week’s Nations League. Following a disappointing defeat to Greece he said, in the post match interview: “It wasn’t just me, there were a lot of people speaking in that dressing room. A lot of frustration, a lot of people upset. Too many times we have come into that dressing room losing and we’re sick of it.”

Collins might well have to deal with a similar situation in Manchester on Saturday; but he’ll do everything in his power to avoid it. And if the Bees can defend for their lives and Mbeumo takes his chance when it comes they might just have a good day… but they need the stars to align.    

 

History

Frank’s team have upset Manchester City twice since they arrived at the top table, winning at the Brentford Community Stadium 1-0 in 2023 and 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium in 2022 as Toney struck twice.

The Sky Blues did the double last season, 1-0 at home and 3-1 away and Manchester City are on a run of five consecutive wins while Brentford have won three from four.

 

Betting Tip

The draw is priced at 6.37 and the Bees are at 9.64 to give City another nasty sting but I suspect the Blue Moon will rise over Manchester again on Saturday afternoon.

The Sky Blues have a Champions League clash with Inter Milan on the horizon and this is where Guardiola’s deep squad comes into its own…and the return of Rodri is a big moment.  

   

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