With the destiny of the Premier League title officially out of their own hands, a disheartened Manchester City seek an immediate return to winning ways when Brentford arrive at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday evening.
Pep Guardiola’s men lost their 11-game triumphant streak in a 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Saturday night, several hours after the Bees were brushed aside 4-1 by Liverpool.
The misfiring Erling Haaland had no time for camera close-ups as he lamented an uncharacteristically profligate display during Man City’s blockbuster battle with Chelsea, which had a lot to live up to following the eight-goal extravaganza at Stamford Bridge three months ago.
As one current Man City marksman failed to find a clinical edge, erstwhile Etihad hero Raheem Sterling found the bottom corner with aplomb to put Chelsea ahead just before the break, but relentless Citizens pressure finally told when a deflected Rodri sizzler rippled the roof of the net.
The treble winners’ efforts to convert one point into three would prove fruitless, though, condemning them to their first game without victory since December’s 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace, which preceded an exceptional 11-match winning streak during their obligatory winter-to-spring renaissance.
The wider implications of Saturday’s result are that Man City are now playing catch-up in the Premier League title race in third place, and while victory would see them regain the runners-up position from Arsenal, Liverpool hold an unassailable four-point advantage at the time of writing.
As frustrating as Saturday evening was, the reigning English and European champions at least extended their unbeaten home run in the Premier League to 23 matches and their Etihad scoring streak in the top flight to 45 games, but the sky blue faithful need no reminder which team subjected them to their last Premier League home defeat.
Unable to give their upcoming foes a helping hand in Saturday’s lunchtime kickoff, a Brentford who had lost the most points from winning positions in the 2023-24 Premier League took on a Liverpool side who boasted the highest points total from losing positions, but the Reds would not need to pull off one of their trademark comebacks in West London.
