Brentford vs Manchester City. Premier League.
Gtech Community StadiumAttendance17,120.
Match report and highlights as Brentford miss out on European football despite winning 1-0 against Manchester City; the Bees dominated the much-changed champions with Ethan Pinnock scoring late on; Aston Villa and Spurs winning means Brentford must settle for ninth
Monday 29 May 2023 06:25, UK
Brentford’s European dreams fell at the final hurdle despite beating Premier League champions Manchester City 1-0 in west London.
Thomas Frank's side needed to beat City and hope Aston Villa and Tottenham failed to win against Brighton and Leeds respectively. And while Ethan Pinnock's late strike meant the Bees held their side of the bargain, both Villa and Spurs won, meaning the Bees remain in ninth.
It was a goal that Brentford deserved after dominating the chances all afternoon, as City lost for the first time since their defeat to Tottenham on February 5.
Pep Guardiola's side, who left Erling Haaland on the bench and Kevin De Bruyne at home, only had half-chances for most of the game but could have snatched a draw in stoppage-time.
Cole Palmer had three big chances from close range in the space of five seconds, seeing two good efforts blocked by match-winner Pinnock, before another was hacked off the line by Ben Mee.
After the game, Guardiola admitted his much-changed team was down to his a few niggles in his squad - including for De Bruyne, Jack Grealish and Ruben Dias.
"We have four five players with niggles, not injured but not fit for a few days," said Guardiola. "The players who didn't play were exhausted today and the day before - mentally they were drained.
"Ruben didn't train for ten days, Grealish has a niggle. After Brighton, Kevin felt the same thing he felt weeks before and he could not play before. This is what it is.
"I think they will be ready, on Wednesday they will have three days that's why today was so important."
Brentford supporters created a superb atmosphere in their must-win game - but Villa going into a two-goal lead against Brighton quickly dampened the mood.
Yet Frank's Bees still created a superb first-half display, putting the champions into several uncomfortable moments.
Yoane Wissa struck the inside of the post after being put clean through - albeit via a late offside flag - in the most clear-cut of chances, while Pinnock and Vitaly Janelt both fired over after long throws put Guardiola's side on the ropes.
Mee had two quickfire chances to break the deadlock for the Bees, but could only force Ederson into a close-range save before heading over from the resulting corner.
City, playing a second-string side with their FA Cup and Champions League finals in mind, were only limited to wasteful efforts from Kalvin Phillips and Sergio Gomez from the edge of the area, while Julian Alvarez headed wide at the back post in the last kick of the first half.
A scrappy second half saw the visitors create more half-chances at best. Palmer saw a flick fall gratefully into David Raya's gloves, while Alvarez saw another close-range shot blocked.
The game became stop-start with yellow cards and penalty appeals as Brentford wanted three handball shouts in quick succession around the hour mark, with one even going to Frank.
Eventually the game came into life and Pinnock found the winner. Kevin Schade, who changed the game after coming on, burst down the right and found Bryan Mbeumo in the box. The Cameroon forward headed the ball back to the onrushing Pinnock, who blasted past Ederson.
City tried to find the equaliser with Palmer's flurry of three chances denied by the two Brentford centre-halves, but the Bees held on for another big win at the Gtech.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola:
"Congratulations to Brentford, in the second half they pushed more. They are masters of how quick they play and how aggressive and fast they are in all departments.
"I don't have any complaints of how good we behaved. I said to the players, today they finish a Premier League which you won deservedly. Now, two days off and then Wednesday we prepare for first final.
"Brentford are the best team by far in set pieces but not just in that concept. They're an exceptional team, I have a lot of admiration for Thomas Frank for many years. You have the feeling and vibes that unity of club is there. Normally people talk about champions, when you see what Bournemouth have done since Gary O'Neil took over and Brentford, it's exceptional. Hopefully next season we can do better and beat them like last season. We have a target for net season.
"Once you get the title, it's normal for your mind to go that way. The result is not ideal but I am sure we'd have behaved differently if we needed points to be champion."
Brentford manager Thomas Frank:
"Of course it means something, but it means more for fans. They love that narrative that City can do the treble and we beat them twice. I hope they win the Champions League for English football and City have deserved it over the last few seasons. It's special. No matter what players City put out there, they are top players. They had eight top players and three of the biggest talents in the world.
"Getting 59 points, maybe we deserved to have even more. We have the second-lowest budget and there was a small window in this season where we didn't win in six games. Maybe it's just that game at home to Villa where we were winning and didn't get that win.
"Everyone in this room would have said in no way, but I said believe in top ten. I knew it would be difficult. The next job is to manage expectations next year. Everyone will expect us to do well. There's the top six, plus Newcastle and Brighton, we need to fight for the other positions. There are big clubs under us who will invest in summer. We will work hard and come back stronger."
Sky Sports' Sam Blitz:
Once upon a time, Brentford were bottom of the pile when it came to the west London hierarchy.
They stood in the shadow of the glitz and glamour of Chelsea, Fulham have also stood above them as Premier League regulars since the turn of the century - and don't forget the time QPR tried to buy Brentford out of existence through a failed takeover of their neighbours in the 1960s.
Now, no more. Brentford ended this Premier League season as the highest-ranked west London club in English football this season. Only title-chasing Arsenal and Tottenham, who they beat at the end of the season, were the only London teams to finish ahead of the Bees this season in the league.
Last season, Brentford were the plucky new kids on the block in their debut Premier League campaign and many expected them to suffer from "second season syndrome" this time around.
Instead, they went to the next level.
The Bees' top-half finish saw them become better against the lesser sides in the league, while retaining their tricky status against the top teams.
Brentford picked up four points away from home against the top two - they are the only club to win at Manchester City across all four competitions and have now done the double over them. They beat Manchester United and Liverpool at home, along with Tottenham and Chelsea away this season. They are deserved top-ten finishers.
Most importantly, Brentford have also shown they are more than Ivan Toney - who they will have to be without until the New Year after he admitted to 232 FA betting breaches.
Every time Toney doesn't start, Yoane Wissa scores and Bryan Mbeumo comes out of his shell. The improvement of Kevin Schade and Mikkel Damsgaard next season, after acclimatisation campaigns this term, will help the blow - as well as the transfer window of course.
Ultimately, the Bees are a quirky club. Goalkeeper David Raya is one of the best playmakers, they play four left-footed players across the back four and anyone who has watched a Thomas Frank press conference knows how enigmatic he can be.
But they are improving each year under the Danish manager in terms of league position. Four years ago, they just made the top half of the Championship. This year, they were on the cusp of Europe.
With Brighton showing that you can upset the odds to reach the continental scene, Brentford are a team to watch next season.
Sky Sports' Oliver Yew:
What more can you say about Manchester City?
Premier League champions for a third successive season. They have now won five of the last six titles and they are showing no signs of stopping.
A sensational run of 12 consecutive league wins in the final weeks of the season has seen Pep Guardiola's side dismantle Arsenal's charge for a first Premier League title since 2003/04. At one stage in January, City trailed the Gunners by eight points, but there was no panic from the reigning champions.
Let's face it, City weren't in too bad of a state last season in winning the title, but the addition of Erling Haaland's firepower has taken this City juggernaut to another level. Throw in Kevin De Bruyne's assists, Jack Grealish's improved performances, Ilkay Gundogan's leadership, Rodri's control in midifeld, Nathan Ake's importance in defence and John Stones' ability to step out of defence, Guardiola has got this City machine firing on all cylinders.
The success potentially doesn't stop there. Attention now turns to securing the treble with City now two victories away from completing a Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League treble - a feat only achieved once in English football by Manchester United in 1998/99.
City's sights are firmly set on the FA Cup final against Manchester United on June 3 and the Champions League final against Inter Milan in Istanbul on June 10, and it's difficult to see how they are stopped now and in the future.
The rest of the Premier League need to find some answers.
The Premier League season will kick-off on August 12 and conclude nine months later on May 19, 2024.
The start is one week later than the 2022/23 launch as the schedule returns to normal following the Covid-19 pandemic and the Qatar 2022 World Cup, which provided disruption during the previous three seasons.
However, the fixture list provides for a return of the mid-season player break which will take place between January 13-20.
Fixtures for the new Premier League season will be revealed at 9am on Thursday June 15 and you can follow the announcements on Sky Sports News and across Sky Sports' digital platforms.
