Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola heaped praise on Brentford for their aggressive approach against the champions, which initially unsettled his side before they rallied to secure a 2-1 victory and maintain their Premier League lead on Saturday. Thomas Frank's Brentford side wasted no time in attacking, scoring within 22 seconds of kickoff—the fastest goal in the English top flight this season—before Erling Haaland's brace sealed the win. However, Brentford's counter-attacking strategy caused City numerous problems in the first half, prompting Guardiola to make tactical adjustments at halftime that eventually cornered the visitors in their own half.
"I have immense respect for Thomas Frank. I can't recall in the past eight or nine years a team playing with such intensity. We were fortunate with the deflection that led to Haaland's first goal because they truly deserved the 1-0 lead," Guardiola remarked. "We struggled to time our shots and press effectively. We were lucky to score, but in the second half, we improved and likely deserved more goals."
Guardiola emphasized that this match served as a stark reminder of the Premier League's difficulty and predicted that it's only a matter of time before Frank manages a major European club. "People often say City is so strong, but the Premier League is incredibly challenging. Today was a clear demonstration of that," he added. "I commend my players for their resilience, especially considering our recent history. I'd rather win this way than by a four or five-goal margin. We need these kinds of matches."
For Brentford, the game presented a prime opportunity to climb into the top four, but they now trail fourth-placed Nottingham Forest by two points after their upset victory over Liverpool at Anfield. "Standing here, I'm a mix of deep disappointment for not securing a result but also immense pride," Frank stated. "The first 25 minutes were world-class; we outperformed Manchester City. In the second half, they dominated and made it tough. A draw would have been a fair outcome, and not many teams can leave here saying that," the Danish coach added. "I hold Pep Guardiola in high regard, and one of the reasons is his tactical acumen at halftime. He's not too proud to make necessary adjustments to secure a win. We must have done something right today."
