Manchester City vs Brentford prediction: ENGLAND: Premier League betting tips on match 2024-02-19 19:30.
[p]Renowned for being irrepressible in the closing months of the season, Manchester City’s title bid took an uncharacteristic stumble when they drew 1-1 against Chelsea at the weekend. They’re afforded an instant shot at redemption here against another capital club in Brentford, although City will be all too aware the Bees were the only club to leave the Etihad victorious last season. [/p]
[p]City have been unbeatable on home turf ever since that game in November 2022, piecing together a 23-match unbeaten home league run (W18, D5). It’s not all been plain sailing of late though, as four of those draws have come across City’s last seven such games, and with three of them coming against London-based clubs, Pep Guardiola will be hoping another dose of capital punishment doesn’t derail their push for an unprecedented fourth-straight Premier League title. [/p]
[p]It’s back-to-back games against title challengers for Brentford, who went down 4-1 to table-topping Liverpool at the weekend. Defeat leaves them perilously placed in the bottom half of the table, and with fears of relegation certainly realistic, Bees boss Thomas Frank will hope City haven’t cottoned onto his tactical ploy after he appeared on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football earlier this season explaining exactly how he set his side up to win at the Etihad last season![/p]
[p]They’ll undoubtedly need another tactical masterclass if they’re to win successive away H2Hs for the first time ever, but on the back of five defeats from their last six away league games (W1), such a performance seems unlikely. And that’s before you consider their terrible record against sides in the Premier League’s top-seven, against whom they’re winless this season (D1, L8).[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Phil Foden netted a hat-trick in City’s 3-1 win in the reverse fixture two weeks ago, and he was also the scorer of their sole goal in this corresponding fixture last season. Brentford’s Yoane Wissa played for the first time since his return from AFCON against Liverpool, and given all four of his league goals this season arrived in the first-half, he’ll be hoping to play from the start. [/p]
[p]Hot stat: Seven of Brentford’s last eight Premier League games saw the away side on the day score at least twice. [/p]