Ivan Toney strikes twice in Brentford’s breathtaking win at Manchester City

Brentford did to Manchester City precisely what the champions did to Fulham here last week with a breathtaking smash-and-grab win in added time, Ivan Toney’s breakaway strike ending City’s sequence of 16 consecutive home victories.

For Toney this was sweet: two days after being omitted by Gareth Southgate from England’s World Cup squad the centre-forward raced into City’s area to roll home Josh Dasilva’s cross from the right to hand the champions defeat. The result means Arsenal will be top at Christmas whatever happens in their visit to Wolves on Saturday evening.

Despite Pep Guardiola sending sent out an XI containing 10 players who will touch down in Qatar, Brentford proved feisty and unbending opponents. The visitors’ main ploy was to hit City on the break or in the air and the latter was how Thomas Frank’s men scored first, Toney heading home after Aymeric Laporte inadvertently touched the ball on to him.

City had a slew of penalty claims – mainly for handball – but all were turned down by the VAR. Toney’s opener was cancelled out by a Phil Foden rocket just before the break and while the champions dominated they were never at their finely tuned best: the failure to create enough for Haaland – or anyone else – leaving them unable to secure a result.

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