Pep Guardiola backed Rico Lewis to play a starring function in Manchester Metropolis’s quest for a fifth Premier League title after a formidable begin to the brand new season.
Lewis, who has began each sport for Guardiola this time period, impressed in Metropolis’s 3-1 win over West Ham forward of the worldwide break, whereas he additionally performed the period of England’s win over Finland.
The 19-year-old has stuffed in for the absent Kyle Walker up to now, and Guardiola is assured that his latest type will assist the Residents shifting ahead because the Champions League group part kicks in.
“Absolute, completely [he’s playing well]. Have you ever seen the minutes he performed within the pocket? I mentioned many occasions, Rico has one unimaginable potential that for a few years, it was troublesome to seek out,” Guardiola mentioned.
“At all times he’s free, at all times he’s alone. When his mate has the ball, I don’t know what he does, however he’s free.
“You’ll be able to go the ball to him, and never simply in positions the place it’s snug, however in positions the place the house is so tight, arriving within the third last.
“All of us the gamers prepared, as a result of the schedule that comes any further till the tip of the season will probably be troublesome.
“That’s what I mentioned. Pre-season is over at the moment. It’s over formally. The true season begins after the worldwide break.”
Again quickly pic.twitter.com/yyuhcP7rMX
— Manchester Metropolis (@ManCity) September 7, 2024
However standing of their means are a Brentford facet brimming with confidence after comfortably dispatching Southampton 3-1 earlier than the worldwide break to register their greatest begin to a Premier League season.
The Bees additionally arrive on the Etihad because the final staff to beat Guardiola’s males on residence soil, with head coach Thomas Frank believing his gamers ought to take that confidence into their encounter with the reigning champions.
“The sensation after a win is at all times unbelievable,” mentioned Frank. “It’s a mix of aid and happiness.
“We carried out effectively and performed sport. We clearly deserved to win. We have to rejoice our wins for twenty-four hours as a result of within the Premier League, it’s so troublesome to win.”
“Our excessive press at the moment was completely world-class. We have been so aggressive, so effectively organised and the gamers have been so dedicated.”
Tremendous Thomas Frank pic.twitter.com/oDpyDBicCD
— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) September 11, 2024
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Man Metropolis – Erling Haaland
Haaland has seven targets within the Premier League this season, essentially the most ever by a participant in a staff’s first three matches of a marketing campaign within the competitors.
The document in a staff’s first 4 matches in a Premier League season is eight targets by Wayne Rooney for Manchester United in 2011-12.
Brentford – Yoane Wissa
Wissa has began the season in high-quality type, netting in two of Brentford’s three Premier League video games up to now this marketing campaign, however he has discovered it troublesome towards the Residents within the 5 matches he has performed towards them.
Of the groups Wissa has confronted within the prime flight, Metropolis are one among six sides alongside Man United, Brighton, Sheffield United, Watford and Norwich he has failed to attain towards.
MATCH PREDICTION: MAN CITY WIN
Manchester Metropolis have gained 4 of their six Premier League video games towards Brentford (L2), doing the double over them in each 2021-22 and 2023-24.
They’ve additionally gained all three of their Premier League video games this season. They’ve gained every of their opening 4 matches of an English top-flight marketing campaign on eight earlier events (1903-04, 1912-13, 1961-62, 2009-10, 2011-12, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2023-24), which is already essentially the most of any membership.
The hosts have gained every of their final 12 Premier League video games, all by a margin of two+ targets. Certainly, beneath Guardiola alone, the Residents are chargeable for six of the 16 runs of 12+ consecutive wins by any membership in English top-flight historical past (38%).
Nonetheless, Brentford stay the final facet to win away to Metropolis in any competitors, triumphing 2-1 in November 2022. The Residents are unbeaten in 45 on the Etihad in all competitions since (W38 D7).
The Bees have gained two of their three Premier League video games this season (L1), their greatest begin to a marketing campaign within the competitors. Within the top-flight, solely in 1946-47 have they ever gained three of their opening 4 matches – however that was the one season they have been relegated from this degree.
However because the begin of final season, Brentford have misplaced extra Premier League away video games (13) than any facet at the moment within the competitors. The Bees have additionally misplaced every of their final 5 away league video games towards sides that completed the earlier season within the prime 4.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Man Metropolis – 82.3%
Draw –11%
Brentford – 6.7%
