Manchester City ‘s Title Hopes Dented After Brentford Comeback
Manchester City ‘s pursuit of a fifth consecutive Premier League title suffered a setback as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Brentford despite holding a two-goal lead with just 12 minutes remaining. Yoane Wissa and Christian Norgaard scored late goals for the Bees to snatch a point in a thrilling encounter at the Gtech Community Stadium.
City appeared to be in control after second-half goals from Phil Foden gave them a 2-0 lead. However, Brentford staged a dramatic late comeback, with Wissa pulling one back before Norgaard headed in a 92nd-minute equalizer. Brentford almost snatched a dramatic winner in stoppage time, but Nathan Ake cleared Bryan Mbeumo’s effort off the line.
City’s Missed Opportunities
Despite dominating possession and creating several chances, City were unable to convert their dominance into a comfortable victory. They were made to pay for their missed opportunities as Brentford fought back to earn a deserved draw.
“We were close and we had chances, we didn’t take the right decisions,” said City manager Pep Guardiola. “At the end they put a lot in the box and he (Norgaard) was there. It was an open game with a lot of chances and we were close but unfortunately we could not close it out.”
Brentford’s comeback was sparked by Wissa’s goal, his 37th in the Premier League for the club, which saw him surpass Ivan Toney as their all-time top scorer in the competition. Norgaard then completed the turnaround with a powerful header in the dying moments.
Title Race Implications
This draw is a blow to Manchester City ‘s title hopes, leaving them 14 points behind leaders Liverpool with a game in hand. While recent victories over Leicester and West Ham had boosted morale, this result will feel like two points dropped.
Guardiola acknowledged his team’s struggles to deal with Brentford’s set-piece threat and lamented their inability to make better decisions in key moments.
This thrilling encounter highlighted both City’s attacking prowess and their defensive vulnerabilities. While they remain in the title race, they will need to improve their consistency and efficiency if they are to challenge Liverpool for the Premier League crown.
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