Manchester City complete a perfect 10 to go eight points clear

Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne attempts an overhead kick in Wednesday night’s Premier League clash with Brentford. Picture: PA

Brentford 0 Manchester City 1 

No great surprise Pep Guardiola’s side ended 2021 with their 10th consecutive Premier League win, but it is always great to see the best team in the game up close — even when not at their best.

City will again start a new year on top of the table, this time eight points clear of Chelsea and nine in front of third-placed Liverpool. It is hard to conceive how those watching this match were not witnessing the team that will now proceed to win a fourth league title in five years. A win at top four pretenders Arsenal on Saturday, the day before Liverpool got to Chelsea, and it could turn into a procession.

Liverpool’s defeat by Leicester on Tuesday and Chelsea’s failure to win at home to Brighton on Wednesday night meant City needed a win of any kind to take full advantage. It is what they do best and have been for so many years now.

Brentford manager Thomas Frank was missing 11 potential starters, out through injury and illness, but he used their renowned team spirit and tactical nous to ensure this was not the one-sided goal rout we have come to expect in recent weeks — whoever City play.

It took a goal to savour from Phil Foden to separate the sides, but it was not until the final whistle that manager Pep Guardiola ever looked totally at ease.

Brentford came into the match with a reasonable head-to-head record against City, compared to most, if only because they have been playing leagues apart for so long. The last time City came over to west London was for a Second Division match in 1951, when football historians will be aware that Brentford won 2-0.

On paper they were still leagues apart coming on to the pitch. But singing ‘Brentford’ to the tune of the Beatles Hey Jude means the smallest ground in the Premier League is home to one of the biggest atmospheres and it seemingly had an impact on the start of this match.

City had the possession, but Brentford’s depleted side more than held their own as Frank Onyeka had a good chance saved by Ederson and then had one cleared off the line before Foden scored the opener in sumptuous style.

Brazil keeper Ederson first denied Oyeka’s shot at the end of an impressive Brentford break and then recalled defender Nathan Ake played a crucial role in preventing a combination of Ethan Pinnock and Yoane Wissa from giving Frank’s side an unlikely lead in a goalmouth scramble.

And within seconds of surviving those scares, City took the lead. There were 17 minutes on the clock as the already impressive Kevin De Bruyne clipped in a trademark pass which Foden steered in with the deftest of perfectly timed volleys from six yards out.

It was a joy to watch and the passage of play was the hallmark of champions as there followed a display of the defensive resilience required to withstand a home assault with the attacking skills and wit of winners to floor their challengers with a withering blow.

It was not the knockout punch many of us here expected it to be, however, as Brentford regained their composure to make it to half-time still very much in the match.

The stats showed City had most of the ball but their goal was their only attempt on target, compared to Brentford’s two. A running off the ball battle between Ivan Toney and City midfielder Fernandinho showed Brentford had got under the skin of the champions if nothing else.

Goals win games, though, and it was still going to take a second half shock to really shove Guardiola’s men out of their stride.

The City manager looked twitchy down on the bench, frantically waving his arms and scratching his shaved head in an open betrayal of his anxiety.

De Bruyne so nearly settled the match and his boss with a low right foot shot midway through the second half, but it thudded away to safety off a post and Brentford lived to try and salvage an unlikely draw.

Guardiola resisted the temptation to send on in-form scorers Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling, saving their speed and guile for Arsenal’s Covid-hit defence at the weekend, even after VAR ruled out a late Aymeric Laporte header because he had an elbow offside.

The right result and the best team remain favourites for the title.

BRENTFORD: Fernandez 6, Pinnock 6, Jansson 6, Sorensen 6, Roerslev 6, Baptiste 6, Jensen 6, Onyeka 6 (Bidstrup 75), Thompson 7 (Ghoddos 82), Wissa 6 (Canos 69), Toney 7. Subs: Cox Forss, Peart-Harris, Stevens.

MAN CITY: Ederson 7, Joao Cancelo 7, Dias 6, Laporte 6, Ake 6, De Bruyne 8, Fernandinho 7, Bernardo Silva 7, Gabriel Jesus 6, Foden 7, Grealish 6.

Referee: David Coote 6.