Match Report: Brentford 1-0 Manchester City (Premier League)

Manchester City finished the Premier League season with a dull defeat away to Brentford on Sunday afternoon.

Pep Guardiola’s side entered the game at the Brentford Community Stadium as champions and received their customary guard of honour from the home side.

The game started with end to end action as Brentford surged forward and their visitors then had a shot from Julian Alvarez go wide of goal.

Yoane Wissa then broke forward through the City defence and fired past Ederson but his effort rebounded off the post and back into play before the linesman raised his flag.

The game went into a lull for the next 20 minutes with neither side gaining any clear chances to open the scoring.

Former Cityzen Ben Mee had a rare shot on goal but Ederson pushed out the attempt for a corner which was then attacked by Mee again, but his header was well over the crossbar.

The Brentford pressure continued as Vitaly Janelt had two efforts, but neither resulted in the game’s opener, in what was quickly proving to be a rather cagey stalemate.

Despite a late chance for Alvarez, the two sides went into half time unable to break the deadlock.

Brentford thought they had an early second half penalty as the ball appeared to strike Rico Lewis’ hand but the VAR check provided no spot kick for the home side.

As the game ticked past the hour mark, the most interesting aspect was that this was the only match of the day yet to see a goal.

It remained end to end but absolutely nothing occurred at each end by the time each team reached the other goal.

The crowd were awoken though as Ethan Pinnock then finally broke the deadlock, firing home after some pinball in the City box.

City had three chances in a row with all of them falling to Cole Palmer but his hat-trick of shots were all blocked to deny the visitors an equalising goal.

The full-time whistle was then blown, meaning that Brentford became the only team to do the double over the Premier League champions after their win at the Etihad Stadium in November.

Pep Guardiola’s men are next in action on Saturday, as they take on local rivals Manchester United in the FA Cup final for the competition’s first ever Manchester derby final.