Pep Guardiola on what an in-form Phil Foden offers #ManCity: "A lot. He is the best player we have in small spaces, in the final third, by far. Sense of assists, especially sense of goals in small spaces; how he turns in attack and the desire to score a goal - he's the best we have..."

Phil Foden has been left out of the latest England squad for their October international fixtures. James Trafford and John Stones have both been called-up. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿✔️

Pep Guardiola’s pre-Brentford press conference.

Guardiola on the Man City squad's fitness ahead of Brentford [A]: “We'll train this afternoon but it looks good. Everybody finished [vs. AS Monaco] without a problem. Yeah, fine.”

Guardiola on Phil Foden's exclusion from the latest England squad: “Thomas [Tuchel] knows what he needs for the National Team a thousand times, million times, trillion times, better than me. All I can say is if Phil plays like he's been playing, he will be back. I am happy that the players go to the National Team but I am even happier when they come back healthy.”

Pep Guardiola on Brentford under Keith Andrews: “Quite similar, little details but quite similar to Thomas Frank. They're doing really well so it's a tough place to go. At the same time, I'm looking forward to the last game before the international break.”

Guardiola on Man City conceding against AS Monaco after Rodri's substitution: “Are you suggesting they scored because Nico Gonzalez was on the pitch and not Rodri? How do you prove that? Me neither, so change the subject.”

Pep Guardiola on whether Man City can replace Rodri with one man: “We cannot play with 12. I know Rodri is irreplaceable in many things. He couldn't play three days before because his knee was in a bad, bad condition.

And I would love to tell you that because Rodri is not on the pitch, we conceded the goal [vs. AS Monaco], but I cannot prove that. Because if I felt it, Rodri would have been on the pitch. But Rodri cannot play in certain games, maybe 90 minutes, for many, many games.

And Nico [Gonzalez] played really good vs. Burnley. And he's learning and he's improving and we need him. Rodri cannot sustain still the rhythm for 90 minutes in games. Sometimes, I want the best players there to be fit but he's still not, so I have to protect my players.”

Pep Guardiola on Jeremy Doku's improved form this season: “In the final third, he is magnificent. He's top. He's a player giving more assists than ever but he's still young and has a lot of things he has to improve - a lot.”

Guardiola on Erling Haaland's frustration after AS Monaco [A]: “All of us, we were [frustrated]. We want to win, we could not do it. We did many, many good things and other ones that we can do better. But it's normal and we'll work on it. We want to win and we had chances to score a third. Yeah, it's not a problem I would say.”

Guardiola on whether Man City fans would have appreciated Erling Haaland's honest verdict on AS Monaco [A]: “We are honest. But fans like it when we win, absolutely.”

Your 2025/26 City squad 📸🩵

Our Under-18s come out on top in a five-goal thriller against @Chealsea! 🤩

🩵 3-2 🔵

Matchday in London 🐝🩵

Your City line-up! 💪🩵

XI | Donnarumma, Nunes, Dias (C), Gvardiol, O’Reilly, Rodri, Reijnders, Bobb, Foden, Savinho, Haaland

SUBS | Trafford, Stones, Ake, Kovacic, Cherki, Doku, Nico, Bernardo, Lewis

🤝 etihad

93rd minute WINNER for Jacky Grealish! 🤩🩵

#LoanWatch

KICK OFF.

[5'] CHANCE! A driving run from Tijjani Reijnders almost presents the #ManCity midfielder with a one-versus-one, losing control at the final moment. 0-0.

[7'] Savinho shows his frustration by swinging his arms in anger as Phil Foden opts against playing a pass through to him. 0-0.

GOAL! Brentford 0-1 #ManCity, Erling Haaland! [9’]