Phil Foden scored a superb hat-trick as Manchester City beat Brentford 3-1 on Monday to move within 2 points of Premier League leaders Liverpool with a game in hand in the Premier League, 2023-2024 session.
Despite almost constant City pressure, Brentford led with a Neal Maupay goal after 21 minutes, only for Foden to level just before halftime then add two more excellent goals as the visitors took control with another classy display of possession and probing.
Liverpool, beaten by Arsenal on Sunday, lead the table on 51 points from 23 games but City are up to 49 from 22 and Arsenal on 49 from 23.
Remarkably Brentford did the double over City last season, beating them 1-0 in London in the last game in May when the title was already secure, having won 2-1 at the Etihad on November.
Another win looked unlikely after the one-way early exchanges on Monday as Julian Alvarez, twice and Kyle Walker had curling shots pushed wide by Brentford keeper Mark Flekken.
It was Brentford though who struck first, via a Sunday football goal, as Flekken launched a goal kick that Nathan Ake, under pressure from Ivan Toney, failed to touch. Maupay was left with a clear run on goal and calmly tucked the ball into the bottom corner after 21 minutes.
Erling Haaland had a chance to equalise immediately but Flekken again came to the rescue with his feet, before saving yet again from Josko Gvardial.
Brentford then won a series of corners and provided the remarkable sight of nine of their men in the six yard box with only one outfield player from each side occupying the remaining 90 meters of grass.
They came to nothing though and City levelled in firsthalf stoppage time when Foden seized on a weak clearance header, calmly chesting the ball down and sweeping it in with his side’s 17th attempt on goal in the half.
It was the ever-elusive Foden again who put them ahead after Kevin de Bruyne clipped in a perfect cross for the unmarked midfielder to glance home in the 53rd minute.
Spirited Brentford did have a flurry of attempts but City dealt with them before Foden completed his treble with another the calm finish after a one-two with Haaland in the 70th minute.