Pep Guardiola acknowledged Brentford were worthy victors after Ivan Toney s double condemned Manchester City to a damaging Premier League defeat on Saturday.
City approached their meeting with Brentford knowing a win would move them – at least temporarily – to the top of the table, but Toney added to his opener with a 98th-minute winner as the Bees clinched a shock victory.
The champions failed to build on Phil Foden s outstanding first-half equaliser despite subjecting Brentford to long spells of pressure, and Guardiola believes the result was a fair one.
The best team won, the better team won, Guardiola told BT Sport.
We struggled a lot from the long balls, direct from [David] Raya up to the striker, and when they lost the ball, they were always behind the ball.
We had problems up front and we didn t have our rhythm. We had more momentum, but when it was crosses, second balls we struggled.
It s difficult, in the small spaces, we need the quality and we struggled. But yeah, they were better, I accept it.
Man City 1-2 Brentford
A huge result for Brentford and for the title race. City had more 19 more shots than the Bees but it s quality not quantity that counts round here.
— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst)
Toney s second strike came after 97 minutes and 16 seconds, making it the latest winning goal scored against City in the Premier League since Opta s exact goal times became available in 2006-07.
The result ended City s 20-match unbeaten run on home soil, but Guardiola does not feel the spectre of the World Cup affected his team s performance.
Asked whether his side played with caution ahead of the tournament, Guardiola said: Who knows? I don t think so.
I think the problem was tactical, you saw how the guys ran and how they fought, it was more the long balls and second balls, we weren t able to do it.
It s football, now there s a break for everyone. I congratulate Brentford. Hopefully the guys at the World Cup can enjoy it, and we ll come back.
