Match ends, Brentford 1, Manchester City 0.
Brentford missed out on a place in next season's Europa Conference League despite Ethan Pinnock's late goal earning the Bees a narrow victory that ended Premier League champions Manchester City's 25-match unbeaten run.
Thomas Frank's team needed to win and hope Aston Villa and Tottenham both dropped points to clinch a seventh-place finish, but Unai Emery's side beat Brighton while Spurs cruised to victory over Leeds at Elland Road.
Pinnock, who signed a new four-year contract earlier on Sunday, sent a low drive into the bottom corner after Kevin Schade's teasing cross was headed into his path by Bryan Mbeumo.
Cole Palmer forced David Raya into a one-handed save early in the first half as City started brightly, before Ben Mee and Vitaly Janelt went close for the home side at the other end.
Brentford felt they should have been awarded a penalty after half-time when the ball appeared to strike Rico Lewis' arm following a goalmouth scramble, but Pinnock's goal proved decisive.
The Bees are just the third team to do the Premier League double over City in a season in which they were crowned champions, after Chelsea in 2013-14 and Tottenham last season.
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Superb win not enough for European hopefuls Brentford
Before the game, Frank described the Bees' season as "unbelievable" and vowed his side would do all they could to clinch a place in European competition for the first time in their history.
The Bees kept their side of the bargain, producing an energetic, aggressive first-half display to keep Pep Guardiola's team at bay before grabbing the goal their second-half endeavours deserved.
The hosts had to soak up plenty of City pressure in the opening exchanges, but they managed to restrict the visitors to half-chances before going close to breaking the deadlock themselves.
Mee's neat turn and shot almost resulted in the opener, and Janelt blazed over the crossbar from a central position inside the area as the hosts ended the half strongly.
Yoane Wissa also struck the woodwork, but the effort would not have counted as the 26-year-old had strayed offside in the build-up.
Frank and his players were incredulous when the officials failed to award a penalty for Lewis' handball, but they had the last laugh when Pinnock - who played a crucial role in the Bees' promotion campaign in 2020-21 - struck his third goal of the season with five minutes remaining.
Asked by Sky Sports whether he was disappointed at missing out on Europe, Frank replied: "No. The team deserve a lot of praise. [The win] sums up a fantastic season.
"Sometimes you need to look back where we've actually come from. To finish ninth with 59 points and the second lowest budget is incredible. Now we want to have a rest and come back as strong as possible."
City players miss opportunity to impress
City's attentions can now turn to the FA Cup final against Manchester United on 3 June and the Champions League final against Inter Milan the following weekend.
Guardiola appears to have settled on a big-game XI in recent months but after making seven changes to his team, several players had the opportunity to put themselves in contention for those two deciders.
It was an opportunity they failed to grasp.
Phil Foden caused Aaron Hickey problems but struggled to test Raya in the Brentford goal, and Riyad Mahrez was a peripheral figure.
Youngsters Palmer and Lewis, both operating alongside Kalvin Phillips in midfield, delivered assured performances, but whether either did enough to warrant a place in the starting line-up at Wembley next weekend - or in Turkey on 10 June - remains to be seen.
Kevin de Bruyne, Jack Grealish and Ruben Dias were all left out of City's matchday squad, but there is no suggestion the trio will miss either the FA Cup or Champions League final.
"I think they will be ready but it's hard to get ready in training," Guardiola said afterwards. "That's why I had to see the players who played today."
Player of the match
GhoddosSaman Ghoddos
Brentford
Avg
- Squad number14Player nameGhoddosAverage rating
7.38
- Squad number30Player nameRoerslevAverage rating
7.38
- Squad number26Player nameBaptisteAverage rating
7.15
- Squad number9Player nameSchadeAverage rating
6.83
- Squad number10Player nameDasilvaAverage rating
6.82
- Squad number5Player namePinnockAverage rating
6.80
- Squad number16Player nameMeeAverage rating
6.66
- Squad number1Player nameRayaAverage rating
6.66
- Squad number24Player nameDamsgaardAverage rating
6.62
- Squad number3Player nameHenryAverage rating
6.59
- Squad number19Player nameMbeumoAverage rating
6.55
- Squad number13Player nameM JorgensenAverage rating
6.44
- Squad number27Player nameJaneltAverage rating
6.35
- Squad number15Player nameOnyekaAverage rating
6.35
- Squad number11Player nameWissaAverage rating
6.27
- Squad number2Player nameHickeyAverage rating
6.10
Manchester City
Avg
- Squad number47Player nameFodenAverage rating
6.50
- Squad number19Player nameÁlvarezAverage rating
5.66
- Squad number26Player nameMahrezAverage rating
5.56
- Squad number2Player nameWalkerAverage rating
5.53
- Squad number6Player nameAkéAverage rating
5.50
- Squad number4Player namePhillipsAverage rating
5.48
- Squad number31Player nameEdersonAverage rating
5.45
- Squad number80Player namePalmerAverage rating
5.41
- Squad number14Player nameLaporteAverage rating
5.35
- Squad number82Player nameLewisAverage rating
5.29
- Squad number21Player nameGómezAverage rating
5.10
- Squad number62Player nameCharlesAverage rating
4.05
Line-ups
Brentford
Formation 5-3-2
- 1Raya
- 2HickeySubstituted forDasilvaat 70'minutes
- 13M JorgensenBooked at 84mins
- 5Pinnock
- 16Mee
- 3Henry
- 24DamsgaardBooked at 65minsSubstituted forSchadeat 70'minutes
- 27JaneltBooked at 77mins
- 15OnyekaSubstituted forBaptisteat 81'minutes
- 19MbeumoSubstituted forGhoddosat 89'minutes
- 11WissaBooked at 55minsSubstituted forRoerslevat 89'minutes
Substitutes
- 9Schade
- 10Dasilva
- 14Ghoddos
- 20Ajer
- 22Strakosha
- 26Baptiste
- 30Roerslev
- 33Stevens
- 35Trevitt
Man City
Formation 3-2-4-1
- 31Ederson
- 6AkéSubstituted forCharlesat 63'minutes
- 14Laporte
- 2Walker
- 4Phillips
- 47Foden
- 80Palmer
- 82Lewis
- 21Gómez
- 19Álvarez
- 26Mahrez
Substitutes
- 5Stones
- 8Gündogan
- 9Haaland
- 16Rodri
- 18Ortega
- 20Bernardo Silva
- 62Charles
- 93Robertson
- 96Knight
- Referee:
- John Brooks
- Attendance:
- 17,120
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home34%
- Away66%
- Shots
- Home11
- Away17
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away3
- Corners
- Home3
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home12
- Away8
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Brentford 1, Manchester City 0.
Post update
Aymeric Laporte (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Saman Ghoddos (Brentford).
Post update
Attempt missed. Kyle Walker (Manchester City) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Rico Lewis.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Aymeric Laporte (Manchester City) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Post update
Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Zanka.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Cole Palmer (Manchester City) left footed shot from very close range is blocked. Assisted by Sergio Gómez.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Cole Palmer (Manchester City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Cole Palmer (Manchester City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Sergio Gómez.
Substitution
Substitution, Brentford. Mads Roerslev replaces Yoane Wissa.
Substitution
Substitution, Brentford. Saman Ghoddos replaces Bryan Mbeumo.
Goal!
Goal! Brentford 1, Manchester City 0. Ethan Pinnock (Brentford) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Bryan Mbeumo with a headed pass following a set piece situation.
Booking
Zanka (Brentford) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Rico Lewis (Manchester City).
Post update
Bryan Mbeumo (Brentford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Brentford. Shandon Baptiste replaces Frank Onyeka.
Post update
Rico Lewis (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Ben Mee (Brentford).
Booking
Vitaly Janelt (Brentford) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Comments
Join the conversation
The Bees are only team to sting Man City home and away!
You are truly and amazingly buzzing!
City's kids lacked the physicality but didn't lack effort.
Onto the small matter of the 2 finals.
#BringItOn
Charles, Palmer, Foden & Lewis all from MCFC academy!
Good idea to rest Rodri, Haaland, Kevin, Stones.
Valuable minutes for Ake (post Injury) & Phillips, also valuable mins for one or two others including Gomez and a few Youngsters - good experience.
Credit to Brentford & Frank for another excellent Season, finishing 9th - just 3 small Points off European Qualification. They're a great example ⚽.
Happy manC