Toney's double steals the limelight from Haaland as Bees stun Man City

Manchester City (1) 1 Foden 45+1

Brentford (1) 2 Toney 16, 90+8

When Brentford won the Championship play-off final on a mild May afternoon at a Covid- restricted Wembley Stadium all the way back in 2021, they could only dream there would be days like this.

The Premier League is the land of milk and honey for clubs of their current stature. The television revenue is bountiful and every week there is a Salah, De Bruyne or Kane to stop at venues as grandiose as the Emirates, Old Trafford and the Etihad.

Last season went to plan. Top-flight survival was never truly in doubt courtesy of Christian Eriksen’s short-term help, and there were as many memorable on-field performances as there were enjoyable atmospheres in the stands both in West London and further afield.

The second season has not always been as straightforward. There have been glorious wins over Manchester United and Leeds, and a great night at the Gtech against Brighton, but ahead of Saturday’s meeting with the reigning Premier League

champions, Thomas Frank admitted he was pleased the World Cup break was around the corner.

Brentford arrived at the Etihad on the back of a Carabao Cup defeat to League Two Gillingham in midweek and without a win in five. Captain Pontus Jansson is still unavailable and midfield lynchpin Christian Norgaard was only fit enough for a place on the bench.

However, Frank’s side, seemingly depleted and beleaguered, put on the perfect Brentford display to take home three points against all-conquering City.

Organised and committed in defence, dangerous when they won possession, and a constant threat from set-piece situations – this was the Brentford that Frank has spent so long trying to mould.

The Bees even offered City a pair of early signs as to what their game plan would be in their only act of generosity all afternoon in East Manchester.

Frank Onyeka was unable to beat Ederson after being released at the end of a well- structured move from a goal kick before Ivan Toney, fresh from being left out of the England World Cup squad, could only shoot straight at the Brazilian from one of several successful counter-attacks.

It was from a dead ball that Brentford took the lead though. David Raya, in charge of a free kick on the halfway line, lofted a diagonal pass onto the head of Ben Mee and Toney was in the perfect position to soar above Aymeric Laporte and nod home.

The home side were not at their ominous best but still had a volume of talent on the field that meant it would be impossible for them not to create chances.

It was a series of controversial non-penalty decisions that came closest to undoing Brentford for much of the first half though, the most contentious of which was a handball by Rico Henry.

City did eventually draw level on the stroke of half-time. Phil Foden, who had forced Raya into his first real save five minutes earlier, found the net with the sort of strike that only players of his calibre, playing at this level, can produce after a De Bruyne corner was only half-cleared.

The second period saw backs firmly pressed to the wall as the home team found greater rhythm and began to dominate, but a glorious chance for Ilkay Gundogan aside, Brentford showed few signs of folding.

The day was destined to belong to Brentford and Toney, and in the dying minutes of stoppage time the forward tapped in a Josh Dasilva cross at the end of yet another counter-attack to hand the Bees their perfect afternoon.

Manchester City: (4-3-3) Ederson – Stones, Akanji, Laporte, Cancelo (Alvarez 86)– De Bruyne, Rodri, Gundogan – Silva, Haaland, Foden. Subs not used: Ortega, Dias, Phillips, Grealish, Gomez, Mahrez, Palmer, Lewis

Brentford: (5-3-2) Raya – Roerslev, Zanka, Pinnock, Mee, Henry – Onyeka (Dasilva 86), Janelt

(Norgaard 62), Jensen – Mbuemo (Wissa 73), Toney. Subs not used: Cox, Canos, Ghoddos,

Lewis-Potter, Crama, Yarmoliuk