Brentford vs Man City betting tips, BuildABet, best bets and preview
Football betting tips: Monday Night Football
1pt Ivan Toney to score anytime at 13/5 (bet365)
1pt Erling Haaland 1+ headed shots on target at 3/1 (Sky Bet)
Here we are yet again. The second half of a Premier League season, where Manchester City seem virtually impenetrable.
They’re already on an unbeaten run of 10 wins in 11 games in all competitions, perfection only foiled by the impertinence of Crystal Palace in rescuing a December point at the Etihad from 2-0 down.
Can Brentford – who claimed a stunning double over the champions last season – inflict another surprise on Pep Guardiola’s superstars?
A run of nine defeats in their past 12 games in all competitions suggests not – but they do have Ivan Toney back…
What are the best bets?
Okay, Manchester City’s recent run is impressive, no one is denying that. But delve a little deeper and you soon see they are still vulnerable defensively.
Their only clean sheet in their past 11 Premier League games came at home to bottom side Sheffield United – they’ve conceded to Burnley, Luton, Everton, Crystal Palace and Bournemouth in that run.
None of those sides boast a striker as deadly as IVAN TONEY who has scored in both of the two games he’s played since returning from an eight-month ban for gambling offences.
It’s only due to the fact he’s facing the domestic, European and world champions that Toney is 13/5 to SCORE ANYTIME but City’s paucity of clean sheets this term makes that price hugely inviting.
The Bees memorably did the double over Man City last season and while I can’t see them repeating that feat, they will not fear the champions like some sides do.
Having come off the bench on his return from injury in midweek, there is every chance ERLING HAALAND starts this game for the visitors.
It’s usually impossible to find value on the Norwegian but I think Sky Bet have underestimated him by going 3/1 on Haaland to have 1+ HEADED SHOTS ON TARGET.
The goal machine has averaged virtually one headed effort per game this season and City have absolutely been piling on the set-pieces recently, earning 65 corners alone in their past six games.
BuildABet @ 40/1
- Ivan Toney to score anytime
- Ivan Toney 2+ tackles
- Jeremy Doku 1+ offsides
Toney has never been one to shirk his defensive duties and he’s been keen to make up for lost time since returning.
He completed three tackles against Tottenham in midweek and against a City side that hog the ball he’s likely to again be tracking back plenty here.
Jeremy Doku’s speed is one of City’s big weapons when they spring forward but he’s been caught offside twice in his past three games.
Team news
Brentford could give a first start to on-loan full-back Sergio Reguilon, who was ineligible to face parent club Tottenham in midweek.
Bryan Mbeumo, Rico Henry, Kevin Schade and Aaron Hickey all remain out injured for the Bees while Yoane Wissa, Frank Onyeka, Saman Ghoddos and Kim Ji-soo are away on international duty.
Pep Guardiola has confirmed Erling Haaland is fit to start after he came off the bench in City’s midweek 3-1 win over Burnley to end a near two-month absence with a foot injury.
With Manuel Akanji also available again, Guardiola has a fully-fit squad to choose from.
Predicted line-ups
Brentford: Flekken; Pinnock, Mee, Collins; Norgaard, Jensen, Lewis-Potter, Janelt, Reguilon; Maupay, Toney.
Man City: Ederson; Walker, Dias, Stones, Gvardiol; Rodri, Bernardo Silva; De Bruyne, Foden, Doku; Haaland.
Match stats
- Brentford did the Premier League double over Manchester City last season, beating them 2-1 away and 1-0 at home. The last team to win three in a row against the Citizens were Liverpool (four times between March 2015 and December 2016).
- Man City boss Pep Guardiola has never lost three consecutive top-flight meetings with an opponent before, something Brentford could achieve in this match.
- Man City have lost two of their last four Premier League away games against London sides (W1 D1), as many as they had in their previous 16 trips to the capital (W12 D2).
- Having drawn each of their first three home league games this season, none of Brentford’s last eight at the Gtech Community Stadium have finished level (W4 L4).
- The Bees have kept just one clean sheet in 11 home league games this term (3-0 v Burnley), but have also only failed to score once so far (0-1 v Arsenal).
- Manchester City have won their last three Premier League away games despite having trailed in each. Only Manchester United have ever won four consecutive PL away games despite falling behind in them all, doing so in six in a row between September and December 2020.
- Brentford have dropped a league-high 23 points from winning positions in the Premier League this season.
- Bees striker Ivan Toney has scored in each of his last four Premier League home games.
- Despite playing just 199 minutes across six appearances in all competitions this season, Man City’s Kevin De Bruyne has been involved in five goals (1 goal, 4 assists), averaging a goal involvement every 40 minutes so far this term.
- Erling Haaland has scored against 20 of the 21 sides he’s faced in the Premier League with the only exception being Brentford. Among players to face at least three teams, only Harry Kane has scored against every opponent he’s faced (32/32).
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