pretty the message to Gareth Southgate through inspiring Brentford to a stunning last-gasp victory over Manchester City.
Having given Brentford an early lead solely for a thunderbolt of a volley from Phil Foden to draw City level, Toney pounced in the seventh minute of stoppage time to claim a famous win and doubtless left Southgate to wonder if he had erred by using omitting the striker from his England squad for Qatar.
Toney celebrated both goals by maintaining a finger to every ear – perhaps a message to the England manager and the doubters? – however, after the acute disappointment of failing to make the World Cup squad this was once the pretty response. He might even have claimed a hat trick solely to have a shot cleared on the goalline moments after his winner after City had been caught upfield in frantic pursuit of an equaliser.
Toney probably must have put Brentford in front in the first of 10 minutes of added time owing to previous head damage to Aymeric Laporte solely to be denied from shut vary by means of Ederson. But he did now not let the miss affect him and, with an excellent breakaway from a City corner, the Brentford substitutes Yoane Wissa and Josh Dasilva mixed to tee up Toney to faucet in from a couple of yards out. There have been wild scenes on the Brentford bench and amongst the away supporters after that goal went in and Toney stood there, fingers in ears, soaking up the adulation.
This was City’s first defeat at the Etihad since February 19 when they misplaced 3-2 to Tottenham and opened the door for Arsenal to lengthen their lead at the pinnacle of the Premier League.
City had won all eleven of their home video games this season. Brentford had but to win away in the Premier League. But it quickly became clear the champions have been now not going to have things all their personal way. With 10 of his eleven starters World Cup-bound, Pep Guardiola had admitted all through the week it would be understandable if some gamers held back really with one eye on Qatar but, something the motives for their gradual start, City were far from their best in the opening 20 minutes and could easily have been at the back of before Toney scored.
Ederson used to be out speedy to smother a shot from Frank Onyeka. Toney then drew a first-rate recovery store from Ederson after firstly failing to deal with a pass from Rico Henry, who had surged 50 yards down the left after capitalising on a rare, stray pass from De Bruyne. With a back three and 5 in midfield, Brentford was organised and stubborn and a risk-breaking and deserved their goal. Manuel Akanji has once beaten in the air too easily Ben Mee as the Brentford defender rose to meet David Raya’s lengthy free kick from deep and energy the ball closer to Toney. Laporte was once first to the ball but it brushed off the top of his head and then got a meaty contact off Toney’s head and flew previous Ederson.
Brentford followers made no try to cover their opinions of Gareth Southgate’s selection no longer to include Toney in his England World Cup squad and the striker celebrated by maintaining a finger to both ears. Read into that what you will.
There used to be not the usual briskness or precision to City’s passing and they had to wait till the forty-first minute for their first shot on goal when De Bruyne released Foden and his shot was once saved. Brentford had been relieved a handball by Henry as Bernardo wriggled past him and was once just outdoor the penalty place and the Brentford wing again breathed some other sigh of relief when De Bruyne went down beneath his mission but Var dominated it was once no longer a penalty.
Thomas Frank will have been delighted with how his aspect geared up themselves in the first half and deeply annoyed then that they could now not hold to that lead for a few seconds and that the equaliser got here from a set piece his aspect did now not shield well. De Bruyne’s nook used to be flicked on too easily with the aid of Akanji and the ball zoomed thru to Foden, who took one seem to be at it and cracked it on the volley into some distance corner. It was once difficult on Brentford, who had saved Erling Haaland on a tight leash and by and large muzzled City’s most creative talents, but right here used to be an unexpected reminder of the exceptional oozing from each and every nook of Guardiola’s team.
Laporte will have given the Spain teacher Luiz Enrique a fright after being caught simply above the left eye by using an unintentional elbow from Ethan Pinnock rapidly after the restart that left a nasty gash and required six minutes of treatment. He was once properly sufficient to proceed however City’s frustration additionally continued. Mathias Jorgensen, fortunately, deflected a shot from Joao Cancelo large and City’s high-quality hazard got here from one of their fine moves. Akanja discovered De Bruyne on the inner proper channel and his first-time bypass launched Ilkay Gundogan in at the back of the lines. Haaland peeled away and the pair exchanged a one-two however Gundogan acquired underneath his shot and lifted the ball excessively over the ball.
Brentford has been dogged and properly drilled and had been hazardous on the break. Henry’s challenging walking down the left was once a danger and he confirmed John Stones a smooth pair of heels to race away and cross. It was once the best ball solely simply taken off the toe of the onrushing Toney via an exquisite Laporte clearance. Toney additionally drew a respectable shop from Ederson with a picture from a go from the proper by using Mads Roerslev.
Cancelo observed himself easily thru after side-stepping Jorgenson solely to try to purchase a penalty and earn a reserving for his dive when he would have had a respectable sight of purpose had he stayed on his feet.
Then got here to that dramatic finale.
