Guardiola backs ´incredible´ Lewis to star as hectic schedule begins

Pep Guardiola backed Rico Lewis to play a starring role in Manchester City’s quest for a fifth Premier League title after an impressive start to the new season.

Lewis, who has started every game for Guardiola this term, impressed in City’s 3-1 win over West Ham ahead of the international break, while he also played the duration of England’s win over Finland.

The 19-year-old has filled in for the absent Kyle Walker so far, and Guardiola is confident that his recent form will help the Citizens moving forward as the Champions League group phase kicks in.

“Absolute, absolutely [he’s playing well]. Have you seen the minutes he played in the pocket? I said many times, Rico has one incredible ability that for many years, it was difficult to find,” Guardiola said.

“Always he is free, always he is alone. When his mate has the ball, I don’t know what he does, but he’s free.

“You can pass the ball to him, and not just in positions where it’s comfortable, but in positions where the space is so tight, arriving in the third final.

“We all the players ready, because the schedule that comes from now on until the end of the season will be difficult.

“That’s what I said. Pre-season is over today. It’s over officially. The real season starts after the international break.”

Back soon pic.twitter.com/yyuhcP7rMX

— Manchester City (@ManCity) September 7, 2024

But standing in their way are a Brentford side brimming with confidence after comfortably dispatching Southampton 3-1 before the international break to register their best start to a Premier League season.

The Bees also arrive at the Etihad as the last team to beat Guardiola’s men on home soil, with head coach Thomas Frank believing his players should take that confidence into their encounter with the reigning champions.

“The feeling after a win is always unbelievable,” said Frank. “It’s a combination of relief and happiness.

“We performed well and played a good game. We clearly deserved to win. We need to celebrate our wins for 24 hours because in the Premier League, it is so difficult to win.”

“Our high press today was absolutely world-class. We were so aggressive, so well organised and the players were so committed.”

Super Thomas Frank pic.twitter.com/oDpyDBicCD

— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) September 11, 2024

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Man City – Erling Haaland

Haaland has seven goals in the Premier League this season, the most ever by a player in a team’s first three matches of a campaign in the competition.

The record in a team’s first four matches in a Premier League season is eight goals by Wayne Rooney for Manchester United in 2011-12.

Brentford – Yoane Wissa

Wissa has started the season in fine form, netting in two of Brentford’s three Premier League games so far this campaign, but he has found it difficult against the Citizens in the five matches he has played against them.

Of the teams Wissa has faced in the top flight, City are one of six sides alongside Man United, Brighton, Sheffield United, Watford and Norwich he has failed to score against.

MATCH PREDICTION: MAN CITY WIN

Manchester City have won four of their six Premier League games against Brentford (L2), doing the double over them in both 2021-22 and 2023-24.

They have also won all three of their Premier League games this season. They have won each of their opening four matches of an English top-flight campaign on eight previous occasions (1903-04, 1912-13, 1961-62, 2009-10, 2011-12, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2023-24), which is already the most of any club.

The hosts have won each of their last 12 Premier League games, all by a margin of 2+ goals. Indeed, under Guardiola alone, the Citizens are responsible for six of the 16 runs of 12+ consecutive wins by any club in English top-flight history (38%).

However, Brentford remain the last side to win away to City in any competition, triumphing 2-1 in November 2022. The Citizens are unbeaten in 45 at the Etihad in all competitions since (W38 D7).

The Bees have won two of their three Premier League games this season (L1), their best start to a campaign in the competition. In the top-flight, only in 1946-47 have they ever won three of their opening four matches – but that was the only season they were relegated from this level.

But since the start of last season, Brentford have lost more Premier League away games (13) than any side currently in the competition. The Bees have also lost each of their last five away league games against sides that finished the previous season in the top four.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Man City – 82.3%

Draw –11%

Brentford – 6.7%