Manchester City 3-0 Brentford Review

Premier League GW35

After the disappointing result against Everton, where they displayed a spirited comeback to equalize late, the team needed to respond at home against Brentford. Driven into the opposition box by Jeremy Doku, they delivered another win that moved the team closer to Arsenal and reduced the margin in goal difference. Along with bright appearances off the bench from Foden and Marmoush.

MOTM: JEREMY DOKU

Against Brentford, Jeremy Doku led Manchester City in the game for progressive carries, progressive passes, final third entries, successful dribbles, chances created, and box entries. Driving the team towards the goal and three points.

He is now up to 20 goal contributions this season across all competitions and is only four behind Cherki with four games left to play. The 23-year-old winger has already posted a career best for GA and is on track (2,742) to pass his record of minutes played in a single season (20/21 Rennes 2,804).

In the CWC, Doku scored twice in 3 starts, with 13 shots taken, and 6 on target. But, if you look back during the 24/25 season, he managed only 12 shots on target in 22 starts. The shot volume is not enough.

Despite the promise shown in the CWC, in the first 5 PL starts of the season, Doku averaged 1.19 per-90, continuing to not take enough shots, but in the most recent run of games, his last 5 PL starts, he's averaging 2.71 shots per-90. That’s the volume he needs to maintain to become a consistent 10-15 goals a season winger.

After that, you can look at his movement, which Doku has mentioned a few times recently, to his credit. The ‘easy goals’ that Sterling scored involved arriving at the back-post and making short, sharp runs behind the opposition defensive line into the box. He’s reached 20 goal contributions this season, but next season, 30 is not out of sight for Jeremy Doku.

Notable Stats:

• The only scoreline to happen more frequently in the Premier League this season than Arsenal winning 1-0 (7 times) is Manchester City winning 3-0 (8).

• Jérémy Doku against Brentford is the third player in a Premier League match this season to record 6+ chances created and complete 6+ dribbles after Bukayo Saka v Fulham in October and Elliot Anderson v Brighton and Hove Albion in November.

• Jérémy Doku has scored in back-to-back Premier League games for the very first time. He's also scored in three consecutive games for Manchester City across all competitions for the very first time.

• Marc Guéhi is the first Man City player to make 11+ clearances and win 11+ duels in a Premier League game since Nicolás Otamendi vs. Burnley in 2017.

Game Stats:

Manchester City 3-0 Brentford

• xG: 3.3 - 0.73

• xThreat: 1.4 - 0.57

• Possession: 59.4% - 40.6%

• Field Tilt: 74.3% - 25.7%

• Penalty Box Shots: 15 - 2

• Deep Entries: 30 - 5

• PPDA: 7.2 - 8.1

• High Turnovers: 6 - 4

This season, Nico O'Reilly has played more than 3x the number of minutes he did last season. Only Nunes (37) and Donnarumma (41) have completed more full 90s than O'Reilly (31) this season.

Twelve full 90s completed for Nathan Ake this season. He only managed three last season.

First start for Ake and Guehi as a CB partnership, and they kept a clean sheet.

4 shots by Jeremy Doku against Brentford. The most by him in a PL match this season.

If you want to stay up-to-date on individual player minutes, back four combinations, underlying numbers, and more, check out the live Google sheet below. 👇

Yes, that is Bernardo Silva playing as the number six. Remarkable. Otherwise, it’s the setup you’ve seen from the team since the international break in possession 3-1-3-3. O’Reilly is moving inside and attacking the box. Reijnders was brought in to add a threat attacking the box. Khusanov misses the game with a knock, in comes Nathan Ake as the LCB, and Guehi moves into the middle.

Just adding to that inclusion of Reijnders, when you look at the starting eleven, and ask yourself how many players are going to attack the box and get shots off. That answers your question, and certainly, when Cherki is in the team, you’ve got to balance him out with a midfielder you know will make the runs ahead of the ball.

It’s worth mentioning that the theme throughout the selection in the league, when it comes to injuries, is that Guardiola wants to make minimal changes and retain largely the same setup. It was only Ait-Nouri against Burnley. Minimal impact of bringing in Nathan Ake to the backline. If Silva drops to six, then he needs to bring in a midfielder to crash the box and balance out with Cherki.

The wingers still hold the width. 3-1 base in possession when progressed to the opposition half. Technical players on the inside. Making sure enough players are arriving in the box and not letting Haaland get isolated.

Brentford, with the front two, weren’t ever able to apply significant pressure once dropped and pinned back into their lock. They were prepared to close off O’Reilly and Doku as much as possible. Defensive midfielder Yarmoiluk on the left side is coming over to support Kayode. Jensen is tracking the movement of O’Reilly.

They did have a good pairing in Thiago (holdup) and Schade (runner) to lean on should City lose possession, or there's an opportunity to break after a shot. Thiago won 3 aerial duels in the first half inside the City half; Schade also won 1. In the second half, Thiago only won one aerial duel in the City half, and that came in the 93rd minute. Once Manchester City controlled the aerial duels (Guehi, Nunes) and second balls better, with Reijnders and Bernardo, it nullified the threat Brentford posed here.

Brentford came into the game with a great position in the League despite drawing five of their last eight. Set up well as I mentioned above, and with the changes to the City team, after the disappointing result against Everton, it’s not surprising to see the opening minutes be open.

They don’t make a touch inside the Manchester City box during the first twelve minutes, but Brentford get into some promising positions down the right side against Nunes. The team was dispossessed four times and gave up three turnovers in that period. But Brentford are not able to work towards a shot. Their only one in the first half comes off a throw-in (17’), and it’s blocked.

For Manchester City, it’s a header for Haaland (26’) and Ake (28’), and an early attempt cutting inside from Doku (3’) that are the most dangerous shots, but the best chances didn’t get worked into a shot. Many cutbacks from Jeremy Doku, with all the players you’d expect to be arriving for them, Reijnders and O’Reilly, stood on the edge of the box watching.

The team didn’t have an issue progressing the ball, dropping Brentford, and driving into their box, from either winger, but they lacked the urgency from the players attacking the box.

The second half begins similarly to the first, another ten minutes that felt more open for Brentford, a chance coming for Thiago (54’) inside the box saved by Donnarumma, excellent quick reaction from Guehi to clear, and they narrowly complete more passes (54) than City in this period.

Hickey (58’) has missed a set-piece shot from outside the box, and then Brentford don’t have another shot until injury time, where Thiago’s header (90’+4) is saved by Donnarumma. That save took the Italian keeper up to +5.3 goals prevented this season in the Premier League. Leading all other players.

Phil Foden and Omar Marmoush (60’) came on for Rayan Cherki and Tijjani Reijnders. Guardiola mentioned post-match, wanting to see more players attacking the 6-yard box, going beyond Erling Haaland. Both of them did this well in the final thirty minutes of the game.

J. Doku (60') 1-0
Short corner from Manchester City. Doku beats his man and looks to play Silva behind, which Damsgaard intercepts. Loose touch pounced on by Doku to then drive into the box. City have loaded all their players to the back-post, Thiago covering Foden on the edge, leaving plenty of space to attack.

A couple of touches from Doku before he scores into the top right corner, a similar area to the goal against Everton. Nobody made an attempt to close him down. He also mentioned post-match that he prefers to hit the far corner, rather than the near-post.

The first set of changes from Keith Andrews is Outtara (68’) and Janelt (61’) on for Hickey and Damsgaard. The Scottish defender has only just come back from injury, so I’d imagine that caused his sub on the 61st minute. For fitness. It’s Outtara that changed the dynamic for Brentford into a front three playing on the RW and getting behind Nathan Ake. Capable of delivering crosses for Thiago and driving balls along the floor, Schade could try to get on the end of.

We would see that play out shortly after coming on (71’) when Outtara plays Thiago behind the City backline, and his cutback for Schade is narrowly missed as he falls to try to claim a penalty. Not given.

E. Haaland (75') 2-0
Switch out to Semenyo from Bernardo, bringing it down and taking on the full-back, now isolated. When he initially beats him and has space to pass, he doesn't rush the pass with no option yet to hit, and continues to the byline before cutting back.

Foden and Marmoush make the runs to the 6-yard box. Guardiola mentioned post-match being one reason behind the substitutions. Haaland initially runs towards the 6-yard box, then pumps the brakes, and drops into the space for a cutback.

He's not able to get a clean connection initially, but in the end, gets his back heel on it to convert. Now up to 26 PL goals and 37 across all competitions this season

Henderson on for Yarmoliuk (79’), gave Brentford someone capable of playing long balls in behind for the runners in transition late in the game, as they search for another goal to get back into it.

There were plenty of great opportunities for City to score a few more in the second half. The standouts were two chances for Foden (67’, 82’), inside the box, and forcing saves from Kelleher; the second one was among the best saves this season. Final change for City with Savinho on for Doku (90’), the Brazilian hasn’t started a game since Madrid (A) in the CL 1st leg. 102 minutes across the last ten games.

O. Marmoush (90'+2)
Ake recovers the ball in behind, Savinho drops to receive, pulling Kayode with him, and lays it off to Foden. Kayode follows him, but Foden can hold him off and find Silva coming across, then playing through Savinho to the space Kayode vacated.

Drives up the pitch and passes inside to Haaland, who puts through Marmoush into the box. One quick touch and then finishes across the keeper to the bottom corner. That is now 8 assists for Erling Haaland in the PL this season, his joint-most with 22/23. Only Fernandes, Cherki, and Bowen have provided more than him.

The third goal wrapped up the game, bar a late header from Thiago (90’+4) saved by Donnarumma, the team had gotten the boost in goal difference they needed, should the title race come down to it. For Marmoush, an important goal given the season he’s had, and was rewarded for his efforts attacking the box well off the bench.

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Moving Forward

Keeping pace with Arsenal in the event they drop points, closing the goal difference gap, and getting back to winning ways ahead of a Cup Final. It’s a great result in that regard. For Jeremy Doku, it was another game to showcase why he’s on track to become the best winger in the world behind Yamal. Whilst Cherki has looked a bit off the pace in the recent two games, Phil Foden has been encouraging with his performances.

Now it’s all about pushing Arsenal until the very end and winning the FA Cup. Whether the team is able to win the Premier League or not, they have the opportunity to secure a successful season with a Cup double, and are moving in the right direction for competing again in 26/27. The group is much more stable. Far fewer question marks over who Guardiola trusts to be starters week in week out, and a clear route to improve the squad further.

Phil Foden built on the bright cameo against Everton, with the intent to score against Brentford and play the ball forward. 11/16 of his passes attempted were forward passes. The energetic and determined player we’re used to seeing in 23/24, and saw for the first half of this season, he was there against Brentford, and hopefully, another step to come midweek.

I’ve included below the T10 pressers (per-90) from this season in the PL for the team to highlight how much work he’s put in off the ball, especially in the first half of the season.

Bernardo Silva had the most defensive actions (15) and ball recoveries (8) against Brentford. He's played as a six, eight, ten, winger, and even left-back for the club. Stable, consistent, and incredibly smart. He’s a player who will be sorely missed for seasons to come and has been a standard setter for consistency across his time at the club.

Marc Guehi bounced back incredibly well from his mistake against Everton. The other two goals are not entirely on him; the performance as a whole was excellent in the first half, but that moment swung the momentum towards Everton, and no doubt it’s tough to handle. All the more impressive with how he handled himself against Brentford. 6/7 ground duels won, 5/6 aerial duels won, and the most clearances for Manchester City against Brentford.

Antoine Semenyo was second in many of the metrics Doku topped against Brentford and was excellent at progressing the ball on the right side. Played his role for the second goal, driving into the box and cutting it back for Haaland. Unless your teammate is Jeremy Doku, that is a lot of progressive carries.

Next up for Manchester City is Crystal Palace (H) on Wednesday, the 13th of May at 20:00 (UK time). Our game in hand, with a win taking the team within two points of Arsenal, and an opportunity to finish the evening with a better goal difference than them. That would put the team in the best place to capitalize on any dropped points in the last two PL games.

Then it’s the FA Cup final on the weekend against Chelsea. So rotation will be on the mind of Guardiola this week. With the performance Phil Foden put in on the bench, I’d expect him to start, and you’ll likely see a couple others. Chelsea were on a run of six PL defeats, but stopped it with a draw against Liverpool. Levi Colwill is back from injury. There cannot be any room for expecting an easy game on the weekend; they’ve got the quality to find solutions and hurt City in the final.