Brentford 2-2 Man City (Jan 14, 2025) Game Analysis ESPN

Manchester City threw away a two-goal lead as Yoane Wissa and Christian Nørgaard scored late goals to earn hosts Brentford a 2-2 draw in a Premier League thriller on Tuesday.

After suffering six league defeats in November and December, City had bounced back with a draw against Everton and wins over Leicester City and West Ham, but Tuesday's late collapse brought their short-lived revival to an abrupt halt.

The point leaves them sixth in the table on 35 points, 12 adrift of leaders Liverpool who drew 1-1 at second-placed Nottingham Forest, while the Bees are 10th on 28 points after a most unlikely comeback.

After struggling to create chances in the first half, Man City winger Savinho went close to breaking the deadlock in the 50th minute, marauding forward through the left channel before thumping a shot off the foot of the post.

Two minutes later Erling Haaland headed straight at the keeper when he really should have scored.

The breakthrough finally came for City in the 66th minute when a brilliant ball from the right by Kevin De Bruyne was met with a deft volley from Foden, who steered it in at the far post.

The game should have been over when Foden made it 2-0 12 minutes later, reacting quickest to rattle home the rebound after Savinho's initial shot was saved to silence the home crowd.

Four minutes later, however, Brentford's Wissa ensured a nervy finish when he fired home from close range to reduce the deficit, and with City's defenders having made several last-ditch interventions to protect their lead, they should have been aware of the threat posed by Brentford.

Denmark international Nørgaard completed the comeback two minutes into added time, getting enough power on his glancing header to send it past Stefan Ortega, despite the City keeper getting a strong hand to it.

City manager Pep Guardiola was animated at the final whistle, both hugging and berating his goalkeeper after another underwhelming display by his side.

"We just looked tired at the end in the last 20 minutes, we looked leggy," Foden said. "They put longer balls into the box and we didn't deal with the physicality in the end.

"It's definitely picked up from previously and performances are a lot better than they were. We've still got steps to go to where we want to be but as long as we keep making them small steps and improving that's what we're aiming to do."

Things were a lot brighter for the Brentford players after their display of character was rewarded with a point.

"I don't know how we did it," Nørgaard said. "We stayed in the game even though we were 2-0 down. We hung in there ... And I'm proud of the way we managed to come back in the game.

"We aren't here to lose by one so when Wissa got one back ... I don't know how I ended up there but it was nice to see it go in. Even though I'm not a striker I tend to listen in the meetings. I just attacked the gap and I was fortunate to see it go in."