Man City 1-2 Brentford: Ivan Toney scores injury-time winner after England World Cup snub as champions stunned at the Etihad

Report and free match highlights as Ivan Toney scores twice, including injury-time winner, to give Brentford a stunning 2-1 victory at the Etihad; Phil Foden equalises for City before half-time with a superb half-volley; Erling Haaland frustrated on return to starting line-up

By David Richardson, @DRichardson_4

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Ivan Toney put his England snub behind him by scoring twice, including an injury-time winner, to give Brentford a memorable 2-1 victory at Manchester City.

The Brentford captain delivered the perfect response to missing out on Gareth Southgate's 26-man England squad for Qatar to stun the reigning champions and leave Arsenal top of the league at Christmas.

Foden struck a wonderful volley in first-half injury time to level for the hosts, after Toney had deservedly headed in the opener in the 16th minute.

The Soccer Saturday panel react to Ivan Toney's late winner for Brentford at the Etihad.

City, who missed the chance to move top of the Premier League, were frustrated by a mixture of poor finishing, wasteful passing and resilient Brentford defending before Toney capped a statement performance by sensationally tapping in a 97th-minute winner.

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Player ratings:

Man City: Ederson (7), Stones (6), Cancelo (5), Gundogan (5), Haaland (5), Laporte (6), Rodri (6), De Bruyne (6), Silva (6), Akanji (6), Foden (7).

Subs: Alvarez (n/a).

Brentford: Raya (8), Henry (7), Pinnock (7), Jensen (7), Zanka (7), Onyeka (7), Mee (7), Toney (9), Mbeumo (7), Janelt (7), Roerslev (7).

Subs: Norgaard (6), Dasilva (n/a), Wissa (6).

Man of the match: Ivan Toney

How Toney delivered the perfect response

Brentford should have been ahead even before Toney nodded in for the lead. Frank Onyeka was denied by Ederson when he burst through in just the fourth minute and then the City goalkeeper had to push away Toney's shot from inside the area.

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Image: Brentford's Ivan Toney celebrates after scoring his side's first goal

But he could do little about the goal, which came after Ben Mee headed on a free-kick and Toney out-jumped Aymeric Laporte to flick the ball over the goalkeeper.

The hosts were denied a penalty when the VAR ruled Rico Henry had handled the ball just outside the area before another decision was dismissed when Kevin De Bruyne went down under a challenge from the left-back.

Also See:

Team news:

  • Erling Haaland returned to start for Manchester City with Phil Foden and Aymeric Laporte. Those were the three changes Pep Guardiola made from the 2-1 victory over Fulham last weekend as Julian Alvarez, Nathan Ake and Jack Grealish dropped out.
  • Ivan Toney started after serving a one-match suspension in the 2-2 draw at Nottingham Forest. Frank Onyeka and Zanka also came in for Josh Dasilva, Yoane Wissa and Keane Lewis-Potter.

Foden, though, offered City some relief as he hammered home a sweet half-volley in first-half injury time. The goal led to a period of dominance at the start of the second half, yet Ilkay Gundogan missed a clear chance and City struggled to get Erling Haaland, who returned from injury to start, into the game.

Image: Ivan Toney scores the match-winning goal at the Etihad

And so it was left to Brentford's talisman to take centre stage. Toney was denied by Ederson at the start of 10 minutes of added time - awarded for a lengthy injury stoppage to Laporte during the second half - but he was never going to miss from close range when Josh Dasilva played a perfect pass across the six-yard box at the end of a breakaway. Toney was even denied a hat-trick in the final minute by a goal line clearance.

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Pep: We were dictated by the long balls we lost

Manchester City head coach Pep Guardiola: "The best team won, we struggled from the beginning and we couldn't deal with their long balls. Usually, you press the balls to win it but this was different. They defended so deep and so well.

"We didn't have the dynamic today because we were dictated by long balls that we were losing. The game was so difficult, it was so tight. They did really well in the plan they had and were better.

"We have done exceptionally in the Champions League and well in the Premier League. We'll come back and prepare for the second half of the season now."

Frank: We're just a bus stop in Hounslow

Brentford head coach Thomas Frank: "One of the most satisfying wins we've had, I think the play-off final will always be the one, getting us to the promised land. But, of course, it is up there.

"Speaking to some people from the club, this is probably the single biggest ever result, against one of the richest clubs in the world and we have one of the lowest budgets in the division. We're just a bus stop in Hounslow.

"From my perspective, it was well deserved if you look at the chances. I think we eliminated them. I'm unbelievably proud. We're missing four of our starters as well. Mind-blowing performance."

On Ivan Toney: "Fantastic, I can't praise him enough. How good a person he is, his emotional intelligence with his team-mates and everyone around the club. But also, what a player! What a striker! He scored two, probably should have score one more. A hat-trick here, I thought that was only for Haaland."

On Brentford stopping Haaland: "We spoke a lot about wow do we eliminate Haaland? We stopped the source into him and when it got into the box, we defended brilliantly."

Fantasy Premier League stats

FPL Stats: Man City vs Brentford

Goals Foden | Toney (2)
Assists Akanji | Mee, Dasilva
Bonus points Toney (3), Foden (2), Akanji (1)

Play Fantasy Premier League and see more stats here

Opta: Late is great for Toney

  • This result ended Manchester City's run of 20 games unbeaten at home in all competitions (winning each of the last 16), with this their first defeat on home soil since February (2-3 vs Tottenham).
  • Brentford picked up their first away league win of the season. Each of the last five teams to win away against the reigning Premier League champions have been London clubs (Chelsea and Fulham against Liverpool in March 2021, and Crystal Palace and Tottenham against Man City last season).
  • Ivan Toney's goal for Brentford at 97:16 was the latest winning goal scored against Manchester City in the Premier League since exact goal times are available (2006-07). Indeed, it's the third latest winning goal overall in the competition since then.
  • Manchester City had 29 shots in this match, their most in a Premier League home game they failed to win since April 2021 - a 2-1 home defeat to Leeds in which they conceded a 90th minute winner.

What's next?

Manchester City visit Leeds on Wednesday December 28 at 8pm after the World Cup break while Brentford host Tottenham on Boxing Day at 12.30pm.

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