Manchester City vs Brentford. Premier League.
Etihad StadiumAttendance52,786.
Report and free match highlights as Ivan Toney scores twice, including injury-time winner, to give Brentford a stunning 2-1 victory at the Etihad; Phil Foden equalises for City before half-time with a superb half-volley; Erling Haaland frustrated on return to starting line-up
Sunday 13 November 2022 07:15, UK
Ivan Toney put his England snub behind him by scoring twice, including an injury-time winner, to give Brentford a memorable 2-1 victory at Manchester City.
The Brentford captain delivered the perfect response to missing out on Gareth Southgate's 26-man England squad for Qatar to stun the reigning champions and leave Arsenal top of the league at Christmas.
Foden struck a wonderful volley in first-half injury time to level for the hosts, after Toney had deservedly headed in the opener in the 16th minute.
City, who missed the chance to move top of the Premier League, were frustrated by a mixture of poor finishing, wasteful passing and resilient Brentford defending before Toney capped a statement performance by sensationally tapping in a 97th-minute winner.
Brentford should have been ahead even before Toney nodded in for the lead. Frank Onyeka was denied by Ederson when he burst through in just the fourth minute and then the City goalkeeper had to push away Toney's shot from inside the area.
But he could do little about the goal, which came after Ben Mee headed on a free-kick and Toney out-jumped Aymeric Laporte to flick the ball over the goalkeeper.
The hosts were denied a penalty when the VAR ruled Rico Henry had handled the ball just outside the area before another decision was dismissed when Kevin De Bruyne went down under a challenge from the left-back.
Foden, though, offered City some relief as he hammered home a sweet half-volley in first-half injury time. The goal led to a period of dominance at the start of the second half, yet Ilkay Gundogan missed a clear chance and City struggled to get Erling Haaland, who returned from injury to start, into the game.
And so it was left to Brentford's talisman to take centre stage. Toney was denied by Ederson at the start of 10 minutes of added time - awarded for a lengthy injury stoppage to Laporte during the second half - but he was never going to miss from close range when Josh Dasilva played a perfect pass across the six-yard box at the end of a breakaway. Toney was even denied a hat-trick in the final minute by a goal line clearance.
Manchester City head coach Pep Guardiola: "The best team won, we struggled from the beginning and we couldn't deal with their long balls. Usually, you press the balls to win it but this was different. They defended so deep and so well.
"We didn't have the dynamic today because we were dictated by long balls that we were losing. The game was so difficult, it was so tight. They did really well in the plan they had and were better.
"We have done exceptionally in the Champions League and well in the Premier League. We'll come back and prepare for the second half of the season now."
Brentford head coach Thomas Frank: "One of the most satisfying wins we've had, I think the play-off final will always be the one, getting us to the promised land. But, of course, it is up there.
"Speaking to some people from the club, this is probably the single biggest ever result, against one of the richest clubs in the world and we have one of the lowest budgets in the division. We're just a bus stop in Hounslow.
"From my perspective, it was well deserved if you look at the chances. I think we eliminated them. I'm unbelievably proud. We're missing four of our starters as well. Mind-blowing performance."
On Ivan Toney: "Fantastic, I can't praise him enough. How good a person he is, his emotional intelligence with his team-mates and everyone around the club. But also, what a player! What a striker! He scored two, probably should have score one more. A hat-trick here, I thought that was only for Haaland."
On Brentford stopping Haaland: "We spoke a lot about wow do we eliminate Haaland? We stopped the source into him and when it got into the box, we defended brilliantly."
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Manchester City visit Leeds on Wednesday December 28 at 8pm after the World Cup break while Brentford host Tottenham on Boxing Day at 12.30pm.
