Manchester City are well-prepared to deal with Brentford’s threat from set pieces…

Pep Guardiola is relying on the experience of a former Bees coach in advance of Monday’s match to ensure that Manchester City is ready to handle Brentford’s danger from set pieces.

As Manchester City gets ready for an aerial assault at Brentford, they are honing their set pieces with the help of one of Thomas Frank’s previous mentors.

Ivan Toney, who is about to make his third appearance following an eight-month suspension for breaking betting regulations, poses a threat to the Premier League champions, who lost both of their games against the Bees in the previous season. Pep Guardiola is still cautious about this.

City worked on corners and free kicks during their warm-weather camp in Abu Dhabi last month, and their efforts paid off as they scored goals against Burnley and Tottenham when they had the ball dead in the air.

Guardiola lauded his coaching staff, which is said to consist of specialists Carlos Vicens and Jack Wilson, following Wednesday’s triumph over the Clarets, when Julian Alvarez scored from a deft free-kick routine.

Wilson thrived under Frank at Brentford before moving to City two years ago as a first-team performance analyst. Prior to Vicens carrying out the plans during training sessions, he does the necessary preparation work.

Despite an improvement in the outcome of attacking set plays, City is concentrating on its defensive duties in advance of their trip to west London on Monday. Guardiola will alert his players of Brentford’s potential in certain circumstances and their capacity to create issues during throw-ins.

“Toney is a remarkable athlete,” stated Guardiola. “Brentford poses such a threat.” They are quite skilled at throwing direct balls, so you have to adjust.

The City boss against has Erling Haaland available after the striker made a 19-minute comeback following a two-month layoff with a foot injury.

And he was forced to rubbish suggestions in the Spanish press that the Norwegian was unsettled in Manchester as talk again swirls of a switch to Real Madrid.

Guardiola continued, “You have to ask the Madrid media; perhaps they have more information than we do.”

We don’t experience that emotion. His injury kept him out of action for two months, but perhaps Spanish media—especially Madrid—knows more than we do.

We can’t claim he didn’t adjust rapidly or that he wasn’t alright from the start. It’s the level he’s demonstrated since day one. We have no power over what other people say. He will make a choice when he is not happy.