Manchester City, the reigning champions of the Premier League, responded strongly to Arsenal’s victory over Liverpool by securing a commanding 3-1 win against Brentford on Monday night (February 5). Led by the impressive Phil Foden, the Cityzens climbed to second place in the league standings, trailing leaders Liverpool by just a few points with a game in hand.
Brentford, who had suffered three defeats in their last four matches, experienced a dream start in the 21st minute when Neal Maupay gave them the lead. Goalkeeper Mark Flekken launched a long ball from his goal-kick, hoping to find Ivan Toney, but instead, it was cleverly left by the Englishman for Maupay, who calmly found the bottom-left corner of Ederson’s goal.
In the 23rd minute, Erling Haaland had a golden opportunity to equalize for City. However, the Norwegian striker surprisingly missed the target, allowing Flekken to make a save with his outstretched foot. Nevertheless, City managed to restore parity before halftime when Foden capitalized on Ethan Pinnock’s weak clearance inside the box and found the back of the net.
Eight minutes into the second half, Foden scored his second goal of the night, putting City in the lead. Kevin De Bruyne delivered a precise cross into the box, which Foden expertly guided beyond Flekken’s reach with a delicate header.
With around 20 minutes remaining, Foden completed his hat-trick, securing a 3-1 victory for Manchester City. Receiving a pass from Haaland just outside the penalty area, the young English international dribbled his way into the box and calmly slotted the ball under the goalkeeper. This was Foden’s second Premier League hat-trick of his career, with his previous one coming in a 6-3 win over Manchester United in October 2022.
In a post-match press conference at the Gtech Community Stadium, manager Pep Guardiola praised Foden for his outstanding performance. The Spanish coach described Foden’s current season as his most influential, highlighting his contributions in terms of goals and assists. Guardiola also commended Foden for his simplicity and aggressiveness on the pitch, emphasizing his ability to score goals and pose a constant threat to the opposition.
Guardiola expressed his admiration for Foden, stating that the young midfielder has already played over 250 games for Manchester City despite his age, which demonstrates the impact he has made since joining the club. Foden, who has played 33 matches in all competitions this season, has scored 11 goals and provided nine assists.