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Manchester City succumbed to a painful Premier League defeat to an Ivan Toney-inspired Brentford on Saturday afternoon.
The game at the Etihad Stadium got off to a competitive start and Brentford took a surprisingly lead through Toney’s header.
Despite several penalty calls and VAR checks, nothing was given but City levelled in injury time thanks to a thunderbolt from Phil Foden.
City went in search for the winner in the second half but were pegged back in injury time by a shock winner from Toney, who tapped in from close range to send the away fans wild.
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The result marked the first defeat in all competitions this season at home for Pep Guardiola’s side, who had won every single game at the Etihad Stadium heading into today's narrow loss.
Brentford started the match the better of the two teams, with a couple of shots on target causing some worry to the City backline.
This pressure paid off as the visitors took the lead through a header from Ivan Toney, which was knocked onto him by former City defender Ben Mee.
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In a frantic few minutes, Manchester City had several penalty shouts waved away for a Brentford handball and challenges on Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne each in the area.
City continued to try and find an equaliser and Phil Foden went close, seeing his powerful shot parried out for a corner by Brentford goalkeeper David Raya.
The hosts did manage to level the score though at the end of the first half, thanks to Foden’s thumping half volley from a tight angle.
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This was practically the final action of an eventful first-half, and the sides went in unseparated.
City tried to start the second half in dominating fashion but play was stopped for a long time following a head injury to Aymeric Laporte in the Brentford box.
The Spaniard was down on the ground for well over five minutes, bleeding from a cut above his eye.
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Laporte was then bandaged up and returned to the pitch following the lengthy delay and the injury scare.
City then had a great chance from a beautiful team move including Kevin De Bruyne, Erling Haaland and Ilkay Gundogan, but the City captain skied his final shot.
Laporte, equipped with a Pablo Zabaleta-esque headband, managed to stop a clear goal by sliding in and clearing the ball, channelling the Argentinian’s style of robust defending as well as his headwear.
After still no luck, Guardiola decided to bring on his first substitution, with Julian Alvarez coming on for Joao Cancelo.
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Ten minutes were then added on, making it a tense end to proceedings as City desperately searched for a winner.
As City’s desperation for a winner went on, Brentford broke on the counter attack, and retook the lead again via Toney.
The Englishman, who was snubbed from Gareth Southgate’s World Cup squad this week, tapped home from close range to give the visitors a famous win.
Toney was then in again but his would be hat-trick goal was cleared off of the line by Kevin De Bruyne.
City remain second in the table after the defeat and leaders Arsenal will establish a five-point lead should they win away at Wolves on Saturday evening.
Guardiola’s side will not play again in the Premier League until December 28, when they face off against Leeds United away following a lengthy break for the World Cup in Qatar.
Prior to that, they will face off against bitter rivals Liverpool in the next round of the Carabao Cup, following Wednesday's victory over Chelsea.
Featured Image Credit: PA Images / AlamyTopics: Brentford, Football, Manchester City, Pep Guardiola, Premier League, Phil Foden
