Two sides on totally different trajectories meet on Monday evening, with Thomas Frank’s Bees spiralling downwards and Pep Guardiola’s males chasing one other Premier League title. We stay up for the conflict with our Brentford vs Manchester Metropolis prediction and preview.
Brentford vs Manchester Metropolis Stats: The Fast Hits
- Manchester Metropolis are the heavy favourites to defeat Brentford, profitable 57.2% of pre-match simulations by the Opta supercomputer.
- Man Metropolis have received their final three Premier League away video games regardless of having trailed in every of them.
- Brentford might turn out to be the primary facet to win three consecutive top-flight conferences in opposition to a workforce managed by Pep Guardiola.
Match Preview
Manchester Metropolis can be trying to hold the strain on Premier League leaders Liverpool once they go to Brentford on the Gtech Neighborhood Stadium on Monday, armed with the fit-again Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland.
De Bruyne began for the primary time since his four-month harm absence on Wednesday, aiding birthday boy Julián Álvarez’s second objective earlier than Rodri – teed up by Phil Foden – added one other in a convincing 3-1 victory over relegation-threatened Burnley at Etihad Stadium.
A fast-thinking free-kick routine, sliding by means of the center for Álvarez to transform previous former Metropolis goalkeeper James Trafford, took De Bruyne to 104 Premier League assists and noticed him surpass Wayne Rooney (103) to turn out to be the outright third-highest help supplier in Premier League historical past – behind solely Ryan Giggs (162) and Cesc Fàbregas (111).
Certainly, regardless of enjoying simply 199 minutes throughout six appearances in all competitions this season, the Belgian maestro has been concerned in 5 objectives (one objective, 4 assists), averaging a objective involvement each 40 minutes up to now this time period. Because the begin of final season, De Bruyne has offered 32 assists in all competitions, eight greater than every other Premier League participant – Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah his nearest challenger with 24.
Someway, De Bruyne’s brilliance overshadowed the return of Haaland in opposition to Burnley on Matchday 22 because the world-class Norwegian talisman appeared from the bench after getting back from virtually two months on the sidelines. His availability, coupled with the scintillating type of De Bruyne and Álvarez, may have Pep Guardiola excited as Man Metropolis – nonetheless with a sport in hand – path Jürgen Klopp’s Reds by 5 factors on the Premier League summit.
As for the hosts, Ivan Toney’s return from an eight-month playing ban couldn’t have gone significantly better after the striker scored in opposition to each Nottingham Forest and Tottenham, though Brentford misplaced their MD 22 conflict at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Toney has scored 14 objectives in his final 22 Premier League video games, netting in consecutive appearances within the competitors for the primary time since a run of 4 ending in January 2023.
Neal Maupay was additionally on the scoresheet, edging Brentford forward on Wednesday earlier than Future Udogie, Brennan Johnson and Richarlison despatched Spurs roaring again right into a lead that would not be overturned regardless of Toney’s second-half end. Whereas the Bees proceed to fireside up entrance, Thomas Frank’s males have misplaced eight of their final 10 within the competitors (W2) and haven’t stored a clear sheet in any of their final 11 Premier League video games as they begin to take a look at the improper finish of the league desk.
Brentford fell to fifteenth after the Spurs defeat heading into Matchday 23, simply 4 factors away from the relegation zone and 18th-placed Everton. These struggles may be apportioned to 2 issues: accidents and no Premier League facet dropping extra factors than the Bees’ 23 from profitable positions this time period – as many such factors as they’d misplaced of their earlier two campaigns within the competitors mixed (eight in 2021-22, 15 final season).
Loanee Sergio Reguilón might return to Frank’s lineup after being unable to face his guardian membership Tottenham, although Yoane Wissa, Frank Onyeka and Saman Ghoddos are away on the Africa Cup of Nations, whereas key gamers Bryan Mbeumo and Rico Henry stay out injured.
Frank might at the least welcome again Aaron Hickey and Kevin Schade for Monday’s late kick-off, albeit with the attacking burden nonetheless prone to fall on Toney, who has scored in every of his final 4 Premier League house video games. He final netted in 5 consecutive house league video games between January and March 2020 with Peterborough United.
Brentford vs Manchester Metropolis Head-to-Head
Brentford did the Premier League double over Man Metropolis final season, beating them 2-1 away and 1-0 at house. The final workforce to win three in a row in opposition to Guardiola’s facet was Liverpool (4 between March 2015 and December 2016).
The truth is, Brentford might etch their identify onto an unlikely report right here – Guardiola has by no means misplaced three consecutive top-flight conferences in opposition to an opponent earlier than, one thing the Bees might obtain on Monday evening.
There appears to be an odd stranglehold Brentford have over the blue facet of Manchester, with Haaland additionally failing to attain in opposition to the Bees – he has scored in opposition to all the opposite 20 Premier League sides he has confronted. Amongst gamers to look in opposition to at the least three groups, solely former Tottenham star Harry Kane has scored in opposition to each opponent he’s competed with (32/32).
This conflict was initially scheduled for 23 December however moved for Metropolis’s FIFA Membership World Cup commitments, that means the 1-0 house win for Brentford final Might was the latest event these two groups met.
Latest Kind
Whereas Brentford and Man Metropolis look like on reverse trajectories in latest weeks, this guarantees to be an entertaining sport, contemplating not one of the Bees’ final eight league video games on the Gtech Neighborhood Stadium have completed stage (W4 L4).
Frank’s facet have additionally stored only one clear sheet in 11 house top-flight outings this time period – a 3-0 win over Burnley – however have additionally solely failed to attain as soon as up to now (in a 1-0 defeat to Arsenal).
Metropolis have misplaced two of their final 4 Premier League away video games in opposition to London sides – dropping to Arsenal this time period and Brentford final marketing campaign – as many as they’d of their earlier 16 journeys to the capital (W12 D2).
Nonetheless, Guardiola’s reigning English champions have received their final three Premier League away video games general regardless of having trailed in every of them – in opposition to Newcastle, Everton and Luton City. Solely Manchester United have ever received 4 consecutive away video games regardless of falling behind in all of them within the competitors, doing so in six in a row between September and December 2020.
Opta Energy Rankings
The Opta Energy Rankings are a world workforce rating system that assigns a capability rating to over 13,000 home soccer groups on a scale between zero and 100, the place zero is the worst-ranked workforce on this planet and 100 is the very best workforce on this planet.
Forward of kick-off this weekend, right here is the Opta Energy Rating for each side.
Brentford vs Manchester Metropolis Prediction
The Opta supercomputer views this as essentially the most one-sided MD 23 conflict within the Premier League, the place Man Metropolis win an enormous 57.2% of 10,000 pre-match simulations.
Brentford solely triumph in 18% regardless of doing the double over Metropolis final time period, whereas the draw seems extra possible in 24.8% of data-backed predictions.
Manchester Metropolis (54.1%) stay the favourites to win the title in Opta’s end-of-season simulations, forward of Liverpool (42%). Brentford’s most certainly league-table end is 14th – one above their present place – however they nonetheless have a slim 5.4% likelihood of relegation.
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