- Brentford have enjoyed a splendid Premier League season and have finished in the top half of the table
- The Bees ended their season with a home clash over Champions Manchester City
- A 1-0 victory at the Brentford Community Stadium meant they did a double over the Cityzens
Brentford handed a final-day loss to Manchester City, who were aiming for a treble, completing a Premier League double over the champions.
Defender Ethan Pinnock, who had just signed a new four-year contract, scored the winning goal in the 85th minute to secure a 1-0 victory for Brentford.
With the Premier League title already secured, Pep Guardiola decided to rest some key players in preparation for the upcoming FA Cup final and the Champions League final. As a result, City fielded a makeshift team and even established stars like Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez failed to make a significant impact. Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish, and Erling Haaland were either absent or started on the bench.
Brentford defender Ethan Pinnock celebrates after scoring the winner against Manchester City in a Premier League clash on Sunday, May 28 2023. | PHOTO: Sky Sports |
In contrast, Brentford had something to play for as they had a slim chance of qualifying for the Europa Conference League, although their hopes were eventually dashed by wins from Tottenham and Aston Villa.
READ: FA hands Brentford’s Ivan Toney 8-month football ban
The Bees showed respect to the champions by applauding them onto the pitch but didn’t hold back during the game. Despite missing suspended striker Ivan Toney, Brentford remained a formidable threat, with Yoane Wissa coming close to scoring before being flagged offside.
Brentford goalkeeper David Raya, who is expected to leave the club in the summer, made an early diving save to deny Cole Palmer, while Kalvin Phillips sent a low shot wide. Brentford pressed forward, and Raya made another good save from Vitaly Janelt’s shot, and Janelt also lifted an effort over the crossbar.
In the second half, Brentford believed they should have been awarded a penalty when Ben Mee was tackled by Rico Lewis, but the appeals were waved away by referee John Brooks, with VAR confirming the decision. Thomas Frank, the Bees’ head coach, received a booking for protesting the decision.
Despite City’s focus being on their upcoming important matches, Brentford continued to attack. Frank Onyeka’s shot went over the bar, and Bryan Mbeumo narrowly missed getting a touch on Janelt’s cross into the area.
The winning goal came from a cross by substitute Kevin Schade, which was headed back across the goal by Mbeumo and emphatically finished by Pinnock.
City briefly rallied, and Raya made an impressive save to deny Palmer an equalizer from close range.
The defeat meant that City failed to surpass the 90-point mark for a record fourth time in the Premier League, which might frustrate Guardiola. However, if they win their next two matches, the FA Cup final at Wembley and the Champions League final in Istanbul, even the perfectionist in Guardiola will likely forget about it.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login