Pep Guardiola reacts to Manchester City shock defeat to Brentford

Manchester City succumbed to a disappointing defeat to Brentford at the Etihad when they lost 2-1 to the Bees on the Premier League matchday 16.

Brentford opened the scoring early in the game when Ivan Toney beat Ederson with a decent finish but Man City responded on the stroke of half-time through a superb strike from Phil Foden.

Many would have thought Manchester City would go on to get all three points, given the equalised at the right time.

City dominated the game as usual but didn’t create many clear-cut chances needed to complete the comeback against a well-organised Brentford.

While Pep Guardiola’s side fought to get a late equaliser, the Bees’ forward Ivan Toney scored again in the last minute of the ten minutes additional time and Brentford would go on against all odds to steal the three points.

FULL-TIME | A frustrating afternoon at the Etihad.

🔵 1-2 🐝 #ManCity pic.twitter.com/FL4Mltj5ic

— Manchester City (@ManCity) November 12, 2022

Guardiola has explained that Brentford made it hard for Manchester City to press the way they normally do and confessed that Thomas Frank’s defensive structure played a huge role to that.

Speaking after the defeat, Guardiola told the media: “We had a lot of problems and we could not press as they [Brentford] didn’t allow us.

“We struggled to create as their structure defensively is so deep they force you to go outside.”

Manchester City lost the chance to return to the summit against Brentford, now Arsenal can go five points clear if they beat Wolves at the Molineux Stadium tonight.