Evening all, and welcome to Manchester City v Brentford!

They've turned the lights down at the Etihad. It's so atmospheric I'm choking up.

Spurs, incidentally, are at home to Southampton tonight, and are only four behind West Ham, who sit fourth, with four games in hand.

I wonder if City are doing similar; I wonder how their owners justify it either way.

Elsewhere....

Earlier this season...

Frank says Toney will be a loss, but his players will find a way. He wants them to be aggressive, press City back as much as possible, and be brave on the ball, taking it forward.

Guardiola says it's an important part of the season, and he'll do what he always does, involving all his players - but some will do more than others, and it's for those he's expecting to play less to play better than he thinks. Brentford are doing well, he reckons, but they'll miss Toney; however he notes that they press high, defend deep, and are dangerous from set-pieces, which is presumably why he's got a centre-back at full-back. Finally, he reports that the ball boys need to have good games, allowing his team to maintain rhythm.

Please let him lose his mind in hilariously humiliating fashion once again...

I should also note, Christian Eriksen isn't yet fit enough for the squad - he'll be doing his pre-season - but soon.

I don't actually think this City side are anywhere near as good as Guardiola's first championship side - Silva, Aguero and Kompany were better than their successors - but this current version are probably at their peak now, and the only side I'd pick to beat them over two legs is Bayern Munich.

BT think it might be Stones at right-back; we'll see.

City, meanwhile, are nine clear of Liverpool, who have a game in hand. I'm not sure how anyone goes about catching them, and really the question is how many trophies they win this season; most particularly, can they finally take the Champions League.

Brentford, then, will try to smother City, and that is possible. But for that to work, you need a goal-threat, and the absence of Toney is a major problem in that regard.

On BT, Guardiola is going through old shirts he wore. I've got a soft spot for the Kappa one, because Ronaldo and De La Pena wore it too, but his favourites are the ones in which he won Champions Leagues. Fair enough.

Brentford lost 2-1 at home to Wolves at the weekend, and make four changes. Toney and Janelt miss out injured, Ghoddos and Onyeka coming in, while in net, Raya replaces Lossl and at right back, Roerslev plays with Mbuemo missing out; the formation changes accordingly from 3-5-2 to 5-4-1.

Pep Guardiola solves his centre-back problem - how do you get Laporte, Stones and Dias all in the side? by playing Laporte at left-back; I daresay he fancies his height might be useful defending set-pieces too. To facilitate that change, Walker makes way, while in midfield the first-choice three of Rodri, Bernardo and De Bruyne are back together, following a cup rest for the latter two on Saturday. Up front, Mahrez and Foden continue, with Sterling coming in, though I've not a clue where each will be - I'm guessing Foden middle, Mahrez right and Sterling left.