PHIL OF THE CHASE
City two points behind Liverpool as hat-trick hero Foden floors Bees
THE ominous shadow of the champions chasing history is looming large over this season’s title race.
Manchester City moved up to second, just two points behind Liverpool with a game in hand and, even more frighteningly, are beginning to find their groove.
And even more impressively, it was Phil Foden who stepped forward with a magnificent hat-trick to underline his brilliant run of form.
Foden was electric, he lit up the game and is now firmly established as a prolific supply line of goals from midfield to go with all his dazzling skill, dribbling and close control.
Surely now Foden (top left) is also becoming a must-pick for England ahead of this summer’s Euros, because he is one of the main driving forces behind City’s push for yet more silverware and records.
It is now nine straight wins in all competitions – including five on the bounce in the Premier League – and their sights are firmly set on rewriting the history books by becoming the first team to win four titles in a row.
The obvious question is: who on earth can stop them? They have the know-how, experience and they have Kevin De Bruyne back, fit-again Erling Haaland started his first game in more than a month and Foden is shaping up to be this season’s key man.
City’s three-goal haul also helped set a new Premier League record for the most goals in a single match round.
The four goals at the Brentford Community Stadium took this weekend’s tally up to 45 goals across the 10 matches over the weekend – which beats the previous best of 44.
And it felt fitting that it was City to push the Premier League record over the line because they have been the great entertainers under Pep Guardiola.
It would have been even more but for the heroics of Brentford keeper Mark Flekken, who made an incredible string of first-half saves and provided the assist for the opening goal.
For so long, it looked like Brentford could do something remarkable as Flekken almost took on City single-handed until Guardiola’s men took charge.
Twice, Flekken denied Julian Alvarez with long-range efforts and then somehow kept out Kyle Walker’s 30-yard piledriver.
Flekken then became goal maker as he provided the first assist by a keeper this season.
His long punt forward was straight down the middle, Ivan Toney cleverly backed into Nathan Ake and the ball carried all the way through the middle.