Manchester City

We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League game between Brentford and Manchester City.

Here are some of your comments:

Brentford fans

Anthony: As soon as I saw the line-up was a defensive back five, I knew it was the wrong approach to a side like Man City. Surely the age-old saying that attack is the best form of defence is the best way, just as Thomas Frank did against Man City more than once.

Mark: Why play five at the back? It was going to be a tough game whatever the line-up so should have gone for broke and started with the same line-up as last week. Despite playing better in the second half, we still lack quality at the front. We still need a quality striker.

Saan: Really proud of this Brentford team. We may have been under the hammer slightly in the first half but we came back so strongly, and probably deserved more than we got. Jordan Henderson just keeps on proving his worth.

Nicholas: What a disappointing display from the Bees. Five at the back, negative football and relying on long throws as your only weapon. It was like watching Stoke 15 years ago! Disappointed that Keith Andrews set up to contain rather than have a go.

Man City fans

Steve: A brilliant City away performance, against a team who have been strong at home this season. Three points…

Alan: We should have put the game to bed in the first half. Sloppy and lacklustre finishing must improve if we are to win anything this year. Tijjani Reijnders and Phil Foden were the worst culprits. Both need to concentrate on hitting the ball accurately and with sufficient energy to beat good keepers. either of them managed anything like what is required. Generally a poor performance in the second half.

Dave: Easing our way to another title. Cranking up very nicely with some excellent players returning from injury too.

Harry: Against a low block it's never easy. add to that a team who love long throws and were playing at home, you have a challenging game. We dominated the first half. The second half was more scruffy but we managed it when we couldn't last season.

Pundits Joe Hart and Danny Murphy join host Kelly Cates to bring you the action and talking points from Sunday's five Premier League fixtures.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Aston Villa 2-1 Burnley

• Everton 2-1 Crystal Palace

• Newcastle 2-0 Nottingham Forest

• Wolves 1-1 Brighton

• Brentford 0-1 Man City

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola speaking to BBC Match of the Day after victory over Brentford: "It has been a good month, since the Manchester United game. Many things I like. I know there are things we can do better but they made a fantastic first half, one of the best in many months. Problem is in the Premier League if you don't score a second and a third they can push more. In the second half they pushed more and they are the team that runs in behind and throw-ins and stuff so it is not easy. "We are there. Our game is better and better."

On Rodri injury: "I remember the press conference [asking] why I substitute Rodri in Monaco. 'Why do this, why do that?' I would love to have Rodri every three days but after one year it happens all the time, it is so demanding. That is why we tried to be gentle, play 60-65 minutes but it cannot happen more."

How long will he be out out for? "It is muscular so two weeks or three weeks. Of course I don't want to lose him even a little bit but it is a pity because he is such an important player. We tried to take care of him but it is what it is."

Did you know?

• Manchester City's Erling Haaland has now scored at 22 of the 23 stadiums he's played at in the Premier League (failing only at Anfield), the highest ratio of any player to appear at more than one ground in the competition's history (96%).

Listen to Guardiola on BBC Sounds

Jess Anderson
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City knew they would claim ground on title rivals Liverpool - who lost again on Saturday - with a win and remain in touch with leaders Arsenal.

Three wins in their past four matches keeps Pep Guardiola's side firmly in the mix after two defeats in August - but he will still want City to punish their opponents when they are on top.

For all their dominance in possession, City could not find a second goal to put the game to bed and were at risk of once again suffering a late result-altering goal - as they did against Brighton and Arsenal in the league and Monaco earlier this week in the Champions League.

Tijjani Reijnders forced Caoimhin Kelleher into a good diving save when he struck well on the volley while Phil Foden dragged wide after some quick feet from Oscar Bobb, but they failed to build on that with no shots on target in the second half.

Guardiola will, however, be pleased his side were able to hold on in what felt a real slog.

The potential loss of Rodri is perhaps more of a concern for City, who know all too well how difficult life can be without him.

It is no coincidence that City's worst season under Guardiola came last year when Rodri was out with an ACL injury. However, since his return the Spaniard has struggled to get going with sporadic appearances and several further knocks.

This latest setback will create questions over whether Rodri will be able to hit the same heights he did in 2023-24, having featured just 15 times since then. He missed last week's match against Burnley because of knee pain.

Nico Gonzalez has deputised well at times but has not reached the level of City's talismanic midfielder at his best.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Brentford's performance

What did you make of City's display?

Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies

Just the one change for Brentford from their win over Manchester United.

Kristoffer Ajer comes in for Dango Ouattara.

Igor Thiago starts with the aim of continuing his brilliant goalscoring run.

Brentford XI: Kelleher, Hickey, Van Den Berg, Henderson, Schade, Thiago, Yarmoliuk, Ajer, Collins, Damsgaard, Kayode

Subs: Valdimarsson, Henry, Pinnock, Jensen, Carvalho, Onyeka, Ouattara, Lewis-Potter, Janelt

Pep Guardiola makes two changes to the side that beat Burnley last time out.

Oscar Bobb and Rodri come in for Jeremy Doku and Nico Gonzalez, who both drop to the bench.

Midfielder Rodri sat the Burnley match out last week with a knee problem but is fit to start today.

Man City XI: Donnarumma, Dias, Reijnders, Haaland, Rodri, Gvardiol, Savinho, Nunes, O'Reilly, Foden, Bobb

Subs: Trafford, Stones, Ake, Kovacic, Cherki, Doku, Gonzalez, Silva, Lewis

There are five games in the Premier League on Sunday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Everton v Crystal Palace - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2

• Newcastle v Nottingham Forest - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Wolves v Brighton - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 3

• Aston Villa v Burnley - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra (after Singapore Grand Prix)

• Brentford v Man City (16:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

Kick-off times 14:00 BST unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Newcastle v Nottingham Forest" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Wolves v Brighton", for instance.

Find out more about how to listen to Premier League football on BBC Sounds

Manchester City were up against counter-attacking Monaco on Wednesday, and Brentford will be playing in exactly the same way.

I was at the Monaco game for BBC Radio 5 Live and I am not fully convinced by City, despite their current six-game unbeaten run.

On the up side for Pep Guardiola's side, Phil Foden was excellent again and Erling Haaland's finishing was ridiculously good - his header for City's second goal was like watching me in the 1990s, and he looks unstoppable.

Foden looked sharp as anything, especially in the first half. Seeing him back in form is good for England boss Thomas Tuchel as well as for Guardiola, as opposed to last season when he was inconsistent and couldn't find his level.

I still think City have got issues in a number of positions, however. In the centre of midfield Nico Gonzalez has been disappointing since he came in, and the whole of their right flank is a massive problem.

Bernardo Silva had such little effect on the game, and behind him there is a lack of trust in the right-back area as well.

Brentford will try to hit them on the break and there is a chance they could sucker City, but Foden and Haaland should be the difference between the two sides.

It will be close, but I don't see the Bees beating another Manchester team after their win over United last week.

Sutton's prediction: 1-2

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Jordan Butler
BBC Sport journalist

Brentford are seeking back-to-back victories against the Manchester clubs, while City could extend their unbeaten run to seven games in all competitions. BBC Sport explores some of the key themes before Sunday's match.

"I thought we dovetailed nicely between enticing them and hurting them," said Brentford head coach Keith Andrews after his side beat Manchester United 3-1 last weekend.

It was undoubtedly the biggest win of the Irishman's short reign and it was underpinned by the performance of number nine Igor Thiago, who scored twice.

The Brazilian joined from Club Brugge for a then club record £30m in the summer of 2024 but barely featured last season because of injury. However, the 24-year-old has started this campaign impressively, with four goals in six Premier League outings.

Thiago lost his father at a young age and was required to provide for his family when he was just 13. Bricklaying and carrying fruit were some of jobs he did to earn money. Now he is one of Europe's most in-form strikers.

Of forwards to take 10 or more shots in the continent's top five divisions, only Harry Kane has a better conversion rate than Thiago and he is currently ahead of Robert Lewandowski, Julian Alvarez and Erling Haaland, his opposite number this Sunday.

Conceding late a concerning trend for City

Manchester City have not lost since August but travel to west London seeking to put the disappointment of Wednesday's 2-2 Champions League draw in Monaco behind them.

Pep Guardiola's side largely dominated the game in the principality but squandered the lead twice, with former Spurs defender Eric Dier's 90th-minute penalty denying City three points.

"Obviously it's a bit disappointing to concede this late," admitted Bernardo Silva after the match. "We were controlling the game."

It was the third time this season that City have been on the wrong end of a late goal, with an 89th-minute strike from Brajan Gruda condemning them to defeat at Brighton in August and Gabriel Martinelli's 90th-minute equaliser for Arsenal last month.

City only conceded two result-altering goals from the 85th minute onwards during the 2022-23 Treble-winning campaign, or one every 30.5 matches. That figure rises to roughly one every 11 games across the past two seasons and this term it stands at a concerning one in every three.

One thing that won't concern Guardiola is the form of Erling Haaland. His well-taken brace on Wednesday took this season's tally to 17 goals in 10 games for club and country and he's scored in each of City's four away fixtures so far. The Norwegian is yet to find the net at the Gtech Community Stadium in two previous visits, a record he will seeking to end on Sunday.

Katie Stafford
BBC Sport journalist

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Brentford at Gtech Community Stadium (kick-off 16:30 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• There are no new injury concerns, with everyone finishing the game against Monaco "without their problems".

• On Rodri, who was substituted off midweek after an hour: "Rodri could not play three days before because his knee was in a bad condition. He can still not sustain a continual rhythm. I try to protect my players."

• On Phil Foden's omission from the England squad: "Thomas [Tuchel] knows what he needs for the national team trillions times more than me. If he [Foden] keeps on playing like he is, then he will be back."

• He said Foden, who has scored six goals in three games, "is the best player you have in the small spaces by far" and "his desire to score a goal is the best we have".

• In response to Erling Haaland being angry after the draw against Monaco: "All of us were. We want to win. I like it when they are like this."

• He said he is pleased with the way the team are performing, adding: "We are creating again - [with] the tempo, the pace and being more fluid."

• On Jeremy Doku's form this season: "In the final third, he is a magnificent player. He is still young and still has a lot of things he has to improve."

• He said Brentford still play "quite similar" to how they did under Thomas Frank and are "doing really well" under new coach Keith Andrews. Guardiola added: "It is a tough place to go."

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Listen to live commentary of Brentford v Manchester City on BBC Radio 5 Live from 16:30 on Sunday

Thomas Tuchel has named his England squad for the upcoming international break.

The Three Lions face Wales in a friendly on 9 October, before a World Cup qualifier against Latvia on 14 October.

Chelsea's Cole Palmer is absent after suffering an injury, while there is no place for Manchester City's Phil Foden or Jack Grealish, who is on loan at Everton from City.

Arsenal, Manchester City, Real Madrid and Barcelona are among the elite clubs tracking Club Tijuana's 16-year-old Mexican attacking midfielder Gilberto Mora. (Teamtalk), external

Erling Haaland's patience with the club's predicament is wearing thin, despite the striker signing a lucrative contract until 2034. (Star), external

Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden is pushing for an England recall, but Everton's on-loan City winger Jack Grealish looks set to miss out. (Guardian), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Dan Roan
Sports editor

Image source, Getty Images

A decision on whether to scrap the Premier League's controversial Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) and adopt an "alternative system" is "coming up", says chief executive Richard Masters.

The current regulations, introduced in 2015-16 to prevent clubs from overspending, allow losses of £105m over a three-year reporting cycle.

However, they have been criticised by several top-flight teams for limiting their ability to invest.

BBC Sport has been told a decision on any changes is likely to be made at a meeting in November.

In February, clubs chose to continue with PSR for the current season.

However a squad cost ratio (SCR) system of financial control was adopted by the Premier League on a shadowing, non-binding basis.

SCR is similar to Uefa's existing financial rules and allows clubs to spend up to a percentage of their total revenues on squad-related costs.

Nine of the league's 20 clubs already have to comply with Uefa's SCR as a result of qualifying for Europe. Both Chelsea and Aston Villa were fined by Uefa in July for breaching the rules.

Asked about SCR at the Leaders sports conference in London, Masters said: "We are talking to our clubs about an alternative system. That's not to say we don't think the PSR system works."

He added: "It's about closer alignment with European regulation, which is squad cost ratio, which is a revenue test. In Uefa, it's now set at 70%. Our system will be 85% because we always want our clubs to have the ability to invest.

"The Premier League has been built on the back of investment in which international capital flows [are] coming in. We don't want that to be to be stifled off."

Read more here

Tom McCoy
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City are beginning to make a habit of conceding costly last-gasp goals.

Eric Dier's 90th-minute equaliser for Monaco last night was the third time already this season City have been on the wrong end of a dramatic late goal.

They missed out on a potentially crucial win at Arsenal last month as a result of Gabriel Martinelli's goal in the 90th minute, while an 89th-minute strike from Brajan Gruda condemned them to defeat at Brighton in August.

It is an increasingly worrying trend for Pep Guardiola's side.

During their triumphant Treble-winning campaign, City only conceded two result-altering goals from the 85th minute onwards.

That metric refers to games City drew or lost as a direct consequence of a late goal – it does not include, for example, matches they won but allowed the opposition a late consolation effort.

While City were virtually faultless at seeing out games in 2022-23, they have been a little more fallible in the past two campaigns, conceding five result-altering late goals in 2023-24 and six last term. That equates to roughly once every 11 games across those two seasons.

This term, however, it has already happened three times in just nine matches.

Emily Brobyn
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

It was looking like a night to toast the might of Erling Haaland.

Under the lights of Stade Louis II, a stroll away from the glitz and glamour of Monte Carlo, the Norwegian once again proved his goalscoring prowess.

The first – a pinpoint pass from Josko Gvardiol that Haaland instinctively reacted to, giving Monaco goalkeeper Philipp Kohn no chance with his perfect lob. The second – a delightful cross from City's academy star Nico O'Reilly, Haaland leaping high to head the ball into the corner.

I am not sure which was more impressive – the height and power of his leap or his placement of the cross. But this is Haaland looking the most complete we've ever seen him – flying high on confidence, with an incredible 52 goals in 50 Champions League games.

Yet it is a Haaland that didn't finish the game on the winning side.

There was always a feeling that the slender 2-1 lead may not be enough. Controlling the game, twice hitting the woodwork and missing chances meant a high risk of a conceding to this dogged Monaco side.

City do look more fluid this season, as though they have more purpose. When flair players like Omar Marmoush and Rayan Cherki return from injury, that will help with invention. But as inevitable as Haaland's goals have been, a lack of real killer instinct and seeing out games from the Blues has been a concern.

People will rightly debate the late penalty. Nico Gonzalez touched the ball as he raised his leg high, with Eric Dier almost headbutting his shin in the process. Should he risk his foot being so high in that position? Does that matter when you get the ball? But with Dier burying his spot-kick past Gianluigi Donnarumma, City returned to Manchester with a point.

A furious Haaland laid bare City's frustrations: "Didn't play well enough, didn't deserve to win, not good enough."

It is food for thought for Pep Guardiola but, with 17 goals for club and country so far this season, let's hope Haaland channels his hurt to keep feasting in the Premier League against Brentford on Sunday.

Emily Brobyn is regularly on BBC Radio Manchester - find all their Man City audio here

We asked for your thoughts on Manchester City's 2-2 draw at Monaco in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Here are some of your replies:

Gene: Many missed opportunities. Nico O'Reilly missed several through balls. John Stones isn't a right-back. He is a fine central defender but needs more playing time. Three shots off the bar could've been the difference. The defence still needs tightening and Abdukodir Khusanov can help with that.

Alan: Typical City display - go ahead then sit back and treat it like a training game and get caught with a sucker punch!

Brian: It seemed obvious through the second half that City needed a third goal, but they seemed to think they could just sail through. How Bernardo Silva keeps his place is a mystery. His contribution against Monaco was zero. He says he has made his decision about his future. Just hope City can get a few quid for him in January.

Jonathan: We should have put the game to bed. As much as the decisions went against us, we have to kill games like this off, not relax and put more pressure on opponents. Many positives though.

Steve: Poor performance except for Erling Haaland. Not enough energy, urgency and nobody running at the opposition. Jeremy Doku was marked out of the game while Rodri was well below par - fitness? We need some new ones (Rayan Cherki, Omar Marmoush) back to freshen things up.

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City's right side of Bernardo Silva and John Stones are "not dynamic anymore" and Pep Guardiola's decision to keep Silva on the pitch was "ridiculous", says former Premier League striker Chris Sutton.

Silva played 90 minutes in Monaco on Wednesday while Stones was replaced by Matheus Nunes after 73 minutes as City were pegged back to draw 2-2 in the Champions League.

"I was wondering why Guardiola was playing Silva out wide," Stones told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast. "For the life of me I don't understand why he took [Jeremy] Doku off and kept Silva on.

"I'm not saying he's a liability out there, but he doesn't have the ability to go past the full-back. That's a massive problem. All the good stuff came down City's left side or from [Phil] Foden on the half turn - he was superb in the first half.

"On that right side you've got John Stones - who has been a wonderful player throughout his career as a centre-back - playing out at right-back and Bernardo Silva.

"Guardiola said before the game there wasn't going to be much coming down that side.

"They're not dynamic anymore. They're not at the top of their game. I think there's a problem for Manchester City.

"There were times in both halves where Silva was one v one and he knows that it's not his game driving at defenders and they come back and lose that momentum.

"In the second half, City had a brilliant break and had it been Silva from a couple of years ago when he was more dynamic, maybe they would have made something of it but they kept coming back.

"As soon as they came back, it allowed Monaco to get back and City had to build again. That right side is a massive problem for Guardiola if he continues playing the pair of them."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds