Can Manchester City Continue Their Winning Streak Away at Brentford on January 15, 2025?
At 3:30 am Beijing time on January 15th, the 21st round of the Premier League will witness a heavyweight clash as Brentford hosts Manchester City. In their first meeting this season, Manchester City narrowly defeated their opponents 2-1, and this away trip could present a significant challenge with the opponent's potential counterattack.
Currently with 34 points and ranked 6th, Manchester City is only 2 points away from the Champions League zone. Although their performance was inconsistent at the start of the season, the team has recently shown a clear improvement in form. In the last two league matches, they successively overcame Chelsea and West Ham United, with the most recent 4-1 victory highlighting the team's formidable attacking power. Striker Erling Haaland currently leads the Premier League scoring chart with 16 goals, and his performance is crucial to Manchester City's victories. Additionally, the midfield organizing abilities of Foden and De Bruyne have provided strong support for the team.
Brentford has accumulated 27 points this season and is ranked 11th. While their average of 1.9 goals per game on the offensive end is impressive, with Mbuemo and Wissa being key pillars, their average of 1.75 conceded goals per game on defense leaves them vulnerable against strong opponents. Notably, they have suffered defeats in their last two home games, making their home advantage less pronounced against top teams.
Looking at the historical encounters between the two teams, Manchester City holds a clear advantage. In the last seven meetings with Brentford, they have won five, including a double victory last season. Although Brentford once defeated Manchester City at home, that was a long time ago.
Furthermore, both sides' injury situations have affected their squad completeness. Brentford's defensive stalwarts, Pinnock and Ayer, continue to be absent, while Manchester City is without Dias, Stones, and Rodri, among others. Despite this, Manchester City still maintains an advantage in overall strength due to their deeper squad depth.
In summary, Manchester City's performance is more balanced on both offense and defense, while Brentford needs to make breakthroughs on defense to seize more opportunities.
Prediction for this match: Manchester City is expected to win or at least remain unbeaten within 90 minutes.