Manchester City defeated Brentford 3-0 on Saturday to keep their Premier League title hopes alive
Manchester City kept their Premier League title hopes alive with a 3-0 win over European hopefuls Brentford on Saturday afternoon, but know they need a favour from others to knock Arsenal off top spot. City are currently two points behind the Gunners, though that could be extended to five if Mikel Arteta’s side beat West Ham United this afternoon.
Pep Guardiola made it clear he was fully behind the Hammers this weekend, with a crossed-arms gesture and playfully shouting “Come on you Irons” as he made his way out of his post-match press conference following the win over Brentford.
If Nuno Espirito Santo’s side do beat Arsenal this weekend, City will have a game in hand and the balance of the title race will swing back in their favour.
Arsenal still have Burnley and Crystal Palace left to play after this weekend’s round of fixtures, while City still have games against Crystal Palace, Bournemouth and Aston Villa.
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It’s pretty simple, City need to win their games and hope Arsenal slip up in one of their remaining three games. If they do and City are victorious in all three of their remaining games, Guardiola’s men will be champions again.
The draw with Everton last weekend allowed Arsenal to reclaim top spot, though the win over Brentford kept the pressure on the Gunners.
Goals from Jeremy Doku, Erling Haaland and Omar Marmoush fired Guardiola’s men to victory. City had appeared edgy against a Brentford side chasing their own European ambitions, but once the in-form Doku curled in a sublime opener on the hour mark, they began to crank up the intensity as Haaland bundled home a second before teeing up Marmoush for a late third.
Despite his side no longer holding their own fate in their hands following Monday’s 3-3 draw at Everton, Guardiola is relishing the excitement of yet another title battle.
“I love to be here again,” he said. “We finish second again this season minimum so I love it. I didn’t enjoy last season and that moment when we were fighting to qualify for the Champions League was so difficult.
“But the Carabao Cup is in our pocket and the FA Cup Final at Wembley is the most beautiful day of the season and I love it.”
Doku was the standout performer for City against the Bees and he believes the goals are now starting to flow as a result of the belief.
“I’ve always been a confident player,” he said. “Obviously now the goals are there but, in terms of play, I’ve always played like this.
“Now there are goals added. I’ll just try to find those spaces, try to shoot again and continue like this, have the consistency.
“I know where I can be, I know where I want to go and it’s just on the line of it. The goals are coming, assists too.”
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