Andrews’ outlook remains positive, despite defeat by Manchester City
- By Kaz Mochlinski
- 15 hours ago
- 6 min read

Brentford (0) 0 v Manchester City (1) 1
Premier League
Matchweek 7
Talking Points
By Kaz Mochlinski at the Brentford Community Stadium
If Brentford are the unequivocal underdogs among the capital clubs in the Premier League, then it increasingly looks like they have appointed a head coach who is a very good fit to their circumstances, despite defeat by Manchester City.
The way that the side was set up by Keith Andrews and the gameplan was then executed by the players meant Manchester City absolutely hated the experience of facing them and were relieved in the end to come away with a one-goal win.
Which is not surprising when listening to the words and phrases that keep cropping up in Andrews’ interviews and conversations, like being “aggressive”, relishing “chaos” and trying to create “carnage” in the opponent’s penalty area.
“I want our environment to be really uncomfortable” emphasised Andrews after the Manchester City match. “I want us to be niggly. And I don’t want teams enjoying playing against us.
“I think that’s got to be the minimum template for us, the minimum levels. And I think from that we can grow what we do with the ball, how we evolve individually. Whether it’s a back four or a back five, the principles shouldn’t really change.
“And I just want to continue to grow the team. But I think, as a bare minimum, it’s not nice to lose. I felt like we could have, should have, got something from it, on our second half showing in particular.
“You like to see that level of player and team celebrating the victory, as it shows our players what it means and what it took to get it. They had to earn it, didn’t they.”
All of 30 seasons have slid by since Manchester United and Manchester City were beaten in successive league games by anyone. The club to accomplish it then was Tottenham Hotspur, where Andrews’ predecessor headed to during the summer.
Thomas Frank will believe that he has a better chance of achieving such feats with Spurs, but Brentford did not do badly on consecutive weekends in overcoming Manchester United before narrowly losing to Manchester City.
It may have been the Bees’ first home reverse of the season, and their run of scoring in each of their opening eight matches in all competitions was brought to an end, but conversely they restricted the Premier League’s top scorers to just a solitary goal.
“I think, when you look at the 90 minutes, one team scored the very good chance that they had. We didn’t take ours” explained Andrews. “Granted in the first half they controlled large parts… They’re a very good team.
“There was always going to be elements of that, where they controlled proceedings. I felt we restricted them to very few clear-cut opportunities. But in the second half we grew in confidence and I felt we made it the type of game that we wanted it to be.”

Andrews’ analysis after the game gives interesting insights into his overall approach: “By nature, with the way they play, they will try and pull you out of position to penetrate the holes that you leave. I thought in the main we dealt with that pretty well.
“I wanted to get a little bit more pressure on the ball, ideally, and I think in the second half we managed to do that, and create a bit more chaos, and unnerve them a little bit, which was really what we wanted today.”
When he talks about the changes that he sought to make at half-time, Andrews references Yehor Yarmolyuk, Kristoffer Ajer and Caoimhín Kelleher from among his own players, as well as Phil Foden and Tijjani Reijnders on the City side.
“I would have wanted to get more pressure on the ball in the first half. It was only a slight tweak really in terms of what we did. Just a little bit with Yarmo and Kris Ajer pushed a little bit through towards Foden.
“And it gave us a better platform to go and be more aggressive. And I think once the players feel that they get more of a confidence that they can really affect the opposition. Likewise the opposition feel that. And you can grow from that.
“I think that’s what happened really in the second half. First half they’re in control of the game. That’s what they do. That’s what they’ve done for donkey’s years. And I think in the main that was in front of us, around us. Didn’t come through us.
“Apart from the goal, Reijnders had one volley where Caoimhín saves. And apart from that very, very little really. The second half was certainly our half, and we were outstanding.”
Andrews was also prepared to share some more details of what he said in the dressing room during the break: “It was mainly belief. And don’t worry about suffering, because most teams have to suffer against Man City.
“You’ve got to dig deep. We have to have a will to be selfless in everything we do on the pitch. The subs have to be ready to come on and impact the game, which they did brilliantly.”
There was particular praise from his boss for Jordan Henderson: “I think Jordan’s in a really good place. If you watched the game you would’ve seen his qualities. Barking orders at our players, snapping in to tackles.
“And his passing range is obviously very, very good. He’s been very effective for us since he’s come to the club. I think you will also have seen the levels of energy that’s needed to play against Manchester City.
“I changed all three midfielders because of what was needed. We did it last weekend as well. We’ve got a really good squad, and I’ll certainly utilise that. And I think energy levels against top level teams is really important.”

Again in discussing the specific match, further glimpses of the new coach’s footballing philosophy emerge. Above all, in summarising this Sunday afternoon, Andrews saw plenty to be pleased about from his players.
“I’m pretty proud of what they produced in the second half. Levels of intensity, appetite to get that equalising goal, personality. Just in total we made it very, very uncomfortable in the second half.
“It was a game of very few chances. When you restrict them to very few chances defensively, you’ve done well. Not sure how many centre-forwards in world football score that goal. That was the difference today ultimately.”
Andrews does not have to mention Erling Haaland by name for it to be known who he is referring to. Remarkably, City’s star striker has been reaching new levels of superlatives this season, which he continued at Brentford.
Scoring in his last five matches in the Premier League (seven goals), in all he has found the net in nine consecutive appearances for club and country (ten in seven for Manchester City, and six in two for Norway) - the longest such run of his career.
With nine league goals this season, he is already well ahead at the top of the Premier League scorers’ list. And he has managed this for a City team in which no other player has registered more than one goal.
In total for Manchester City in all competitions in 2025-26, Haaland has 15 goals in nine games - nine more than any other Premier League player has scored. For club and country, it is 18 goals in 11 appearances.
It has been sustained with his first ever goal at Brentford, which means that he has now scored in 22 of the 23 away venues where he has played in the Premier League, leaving only Anfield as the sole stadium where so far he has been unsuccessful.
His 21st goal in 22 Premier League matches in London has left Brentford three points above the relegation zone, with four clubs below them, two of which have already changed managers. But Andrews’ outlook remains positive.
“What we’re trying to do is bring a team together, a club together after so many changes, obviously, naturally, in the summer. I think it’s growing. I think you could see that even in the second half performance today against top level opposition.
“There’s always going to be days when it’s not quite the way we want it to look. But the reality is we’re still building relationships, on the pitch, off the pitch, in terms of the staff, that connection that we have as a group.
“But I think the connection is certainly there with the fans. I think they’re really understanding of where we’re at and where we’re trying to go to with this team.”

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