“I’ve never seen a better team” – Pep Guardiola sends strong warning to Man City squad ahead of upcoming clash

Manchester City’s players have been issued with a stern warning by their manager Pep Guardiola ahead of their next meeting with Brentford in the next fortnight.

The Premier League champions closed the gap between themselves and Liverpool to just two points at the top of the division, with the Etihad club holding what could be a significant game in hand on their Merseyside title challengers.

Phil Foden’s hat-trick produced either side of the half-time interval at the Brentford Community Stadium cancelled out Neal Maupay’s opener, after the Bees frontman slotted home from a sensational Mark Flekken goal-kick splitting the City defence.

While Manchester City may have come out victors and with all three points in the bag to continue their fine run of form following their FIFA Club World Cup success, their manager is well aware of the difficulties they faced in West London.

Speaking in highly-complimentary fashion over Thomas Frank’s style of play and individual members of the Brentford playing squad after the game, Pep Guardiola admitted that from dead-ball situations, the Bees are one of the finest sides he has ever seen in the game.

“They’re so difficult, they’re an incredible team,” Guardiola stressed. “We can just imagine how difficult it will be in a few weeks when we come back to the Etihad for our game in hand.”

The Catalan coach continued, “A really tough opponent – I never saw a team in the set-pieces, corners, free-kicks, throw-ins. I’ve never seen a better team than this one. I think we deserve it, but I think we were lucky to score too on the verge of half-time.”

Manchester City take on three matches across two competitions between now and their next meeting with Brentford in exactly two weeks time, including a return to UEFA Champions League action next week.

City host Sean Dyche’s relegation-threatened Everton in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon, before travelling to the Danish capital to take on FC Copenhagen in the first-leg of their European last-16 tie.

A meeting with Chelsea in the Premier League in a Saturday evening slot will then preceded another clash with Brentford at the Etihad Stadium, in a fixture that was originally due to be played in December but postponed due to City’s Club World Cup commitments.