Brentfordvs.Man City

"Brentford are very much an Achilles heel-type team for Manchester City", Citizens expert Steven McInerney from Esteemed Kompany has told Sports Mole ahead of Tuesday's Premier League contest between the two sides at the Gtech Community Stadium.

Pep Guardiola's side will travel to the capital in high spirits after thumping Salford City by an 8-0 scoreline in the third round of the FA Cup on Saturday - their third consecutive win in all competitions.

Meanwhile, Thomas Frank's Brentford have only won one of their last seven games in all competitions - a 5-0 Premier League win at Southampton - and most recently suffered a surprise 1-0 defeat to second-tier side Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup.

Despite Brentford's dip in form, which has seen them lose their last three home matches in a row, McInerney has explained why Man City supporters should not be confident of success when their team faces the Bees on Tuesday.

"I'm nervous," McInerney told Sports Mole. "I know City have got a few wins recently, but if I was to choose a game that City would come unstuck, it probably would be this one, because Brentford always give Manchester City a hard time.

Can the Bees sting the PL champions?

"The issues that have caused this mad urge for a transformation and rebuild, they're still there. The midfield isn't going to be better overnight until City fix it essentially, and I'm worried about Brentford.

"I don't think this is a game that City fans should be confident about... I'm expecting the players to be up for it and to be confident, but I don't know until I see that first 10-15 minutes how we're going to approach Brentford and their unique capabilities, how direct they are, how well they use the pace of their forwards who have got great chemistry, and how capable they are of bullying in midfield.

"I think Brentford's form is irrelevant as well, they're going to be up for it against Manchester City. It's self-motivating that game, so it's going to be interesting."

McInerney has talked up the qualities of Brentford's "danger man" Bryan Mbeumo, who he thinks will give defender Josko Gvardiol an "absolute nightmare" down Man City's left, which could prove to be the Citizens' "biggest weakness" on Tuesday.

Mbeumo is Brentford's top scorer this season with 13 goals in 20 Premier League games and McInerney would be "just as happy" if Man City were to hypothetically sign the 25-year-old over Omar Marmoush, who is reportedly close to joining Guardiola's side from Eintracht Frankfurt.

"He's absolutely brilliant," said McInerney. "Interesting enough, he's in that same spot in his career as Omar Marmoush who City are looking at - this brilliant striker, same age, 25... he's very much thriving in the spotlight that's been left after Ivan Toney had moved on.

Will "phenomenal" Mbeumo expose Man City "weakness"?

"I think Mbeumo will end up at a really big club. I think he's having a phenomenal spell right now. A tricky, natural finisher. He's a danger man and he does seem to thrive in big games as well - that's what almost convinces me that he will go to another level.

"I think he will play in the Champions League. He'll play for a good club because he scores in the big games and some people really like the feel of [those games]. Put it this way, City are going for Marmoush, but if it turned out tomorrow that we were signing Mbeumo, I'd be just as happy because I think he's a fantastic player.

"The mid-20s sweet spot is where some players find their feet, they become really good and they just find their confidence. They know who they are, they've been playing football for five, six, seven years at that point, there's no insecurity anymore, they've play against great sides and they've impacted games against great sides.

"Once that fear factor's gone and you start to believe you can do anything, you have a season like Mbeumo's having right now where you are one of the best forwards in the Premier League and you're ready to take that step."

McInerney added: "He'll be looking at Man City thinking 'I know [Brentford are] not playing well, but I'm not scared'. Gvardiol has had a really tough time recently and he'll give him an absolute nightmare. That to me is our potential biggest weakness there.

"I do wonder how close [Nathan] Ake will play to Gvardiol. We're going to need a phenomenal defensive display because of Mbeumo's tricky. He can beat a man, he's pacey and he's an electric finisher. He's absolutely the threat there."

While Man City currently sit sixth in the Premier League table and just two points behind the top four, Brentford are down in 11th spot and sit seven points behind the Citizens after 20 matches.

Press play on the video at the top of this article to hear the full discussion ahead of Man City's trip to Brentford.

Written by

Oliver Thomas