Manchester City's walls collapse again

Just when you thought Manchester City had solved the problem of winning football games, they move two steps closer to another Premier League title.

Brentford go into the game with the second-best home record in the league behind Liverpool, which is by no means an easy place to be. But fighting as hard as City did, taking a 2-0 lead and then having it slip through their fingers, is another problem.

It was far from their worst performance of the season, but until the 66th minute, their shots were wasted. In fact, had Brentford not missed a good chance at the other end, they might have been well behind.

But arguably, attacks are not a problem. Kevin De Bruyne delivered a gorgeous cross for Phil Foden's opener and Savinho looked lively, collecting the assist and hitting home goalposts.

At the pre-match press conference, Guardiola admitted that the team's defense was not good enough this season. Unfortunately, the players proved him right.

The previous Manchester City team will definitely see such a game. But Pep and his players once again found the walls crumbling around them. Whether this will prompt an increase in transfer activity in January remains to be seen, but it is yet another reminder of City's struggles this season.
Charlotte Marsh

Brentford heroics set the stage for Liverpool showdown

Brentford gave themselves the biggest confidence boost ahead of facing Liverpool this weekend with a draw against Manchester City.

Since promotion, the Bees have beaten many of the Premier League's top teams, beating all of the traditional "Big Six" in the past three and a half years. This lacks a scoreline but exceeds it in other ways.

Brentford always give it their all when their performances are more than the sum of their parts. But even for a men's coach like Thomas Frank, the situation isn't always sustainable and the momentum could falter after losing an unbeaten home run before Christmas.

They once again showed resilience, a hallmark of their form in the top flight, as they bounced back against Manchester City to take 18 shots, more than in both games last season combined, and despite the reversal they managed Refuse to bow. 0-2 behind.

It doesn't stop there. Frank said he was aware before the game that City could be attacked and asked his players to "go toe-to-toe" with expensive opponents.

Regardless of the outcome, the performance will be exhilarating, but the draw - and the thrilling nature of the final minute - now provides extra motivation in preparation for facing the league leaders.

When Liverpool visited Gtech last January, they left with their tail between their legs. That was before Brentford started to struggle with the big boys at their own game. Frank's side will have even more to look forward to this weekend.
Ron Walker

Porter got out of trouble by luck

Graham Potter has worked his magic at West Ham United. What price Julen Lopetegui would pay for such a fortuitous victory. There were only six touches of the ball in the opposition penalty area. 3 goals on 3 shots, xG is 1.1. Porter hoped it would always be like this.

The former Brighton and Chelsea boss took part in three training sessions and delivered his thoughts to his new players ahead of Friday's FA Cup defeat to Aston Villa.

However, the Hammers have fallen into disarray at times under Lopetegui but now look close to a well-run, well-coached football team. They were helped by Fulham's formidable defense, with goalkeeper Bernd Leno in particular having a night to remember.

Potter will be annoyed with two Alex Iwobi crosses flying straight in to maintain their average of two goals conceded per game this season.

He will also be aware of how Fulham hit the crossbar twice. But he will also be encouraged by the good fortune that saw them withstand a late onslaught to claim their first home win since December 9.

Porter's offensive options have been depleted due to the absence of Jarrod Bowen, Niklas Falkrug, Michail Antonio and Crisoncio Somerville, whom Porter had promised to play at option Be "creative" when it comes to lineups. Even though there are signs that Bowen will return sooner rather than later, he still needs to do so. Now he can celebrate the first step of his Hammers journey.
Ben Getz

Wasteful Chelsea a worry for Maresca

Just out of the blocks it was Cole Palmer's show - Chelsea's show - against Bournemouth.

Palmer was at his magical best, his feints and finishes giving the Blues a deserved lead. They dominated with 13 shots, 5 of which were on target. The key statistic, however, was that they had only scored one goal at half-time.

Nicholas Jackson is still waiting for a goal. He was lively against the Cherries but lacked edge. Three of his seven attempts were saved by Mark Travers.

He was not the only culprit, with waste proving costly as Bournemouth clawed their way back into the game, with Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca admitting his side's second-half slump was a problem.

Ultimately, James' stoppage-time free-kick handed Chelsea a get-out-of-jail-free card, but Enzo Maresca's side are now winless in five league games.

It's not a crucial result for their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League, but they will have to find ruthlessness in front of goal if they want to stay in the top four.
Oliver Yoo

Slot machines have the last laugh with change

Arne Slott was targeted by Nottingham Forest fans throughout the game and even his choice of shoes was criticized. When Liverpool fell a goal behind in the second half, they started chanting "Arne Slott, it happened again", referring to Forest's victory at Anfield.

The Dutchman forced a smile in their direction, and although he didn't get the last laugh, his team did equalize and maintain Liverpool's unbeaten away record in the Premier League. This was the result of his personal intervention following bold changes.

Replacing the struggling Andy Robertson with Kostas Tsimikas was a no-brainer, but replacing Ibrahima Konate with Diogo Jota required some imagination. Ryan Gravenberch dropped deep in defence, with Luis Diaz briefly taking on a deeper role in midfield.

Slaughter has been praised for his game-changing decisions since the opening weekend, but rarely has a substitution paid off as quickly as this one - with both men coming off the bench to tie the game. He wants a victory. But it could be a valuable point for Liverpool.
Adam Bate

Murillo sums up Forest's determination

Nottingham Forest's players performed well against Liverpool but Murillo was probably their best option ahead of goalkeeper Mats Sales, who made an important save.

The centre-back is like a magnet in the Forest penalty area, repelling almost everything. He made a total of 18 clearances, the most in the Premier League all season.

Previous highest total? Murillo was also responsible, making 15 clearances in Forest's draw with Brighton in September. The 22-year-old continues to thrive as he smashes his own records and leaves his mark on the Premier League.
Nick Wright