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13 turbulent minutes may well have cost Manchester City the Premier League title, even though Jérémy Doku managed to salvage a point for the Cityzens at Everton with a stunning last-gasp goal.
The true weight of Doku's equalizer will likely become clear on Sunday afternoon when a resurgent Arsenal head to relegation-battling West Ham United, but City must first handle their own affairs when Brentford come to the Etihad Stadium.
Their commanding position has once again been ceded to the Gunners, whose march into the Champions League final should only fuel their bid for a first top-flight title in 22 years.
Here's how City could set up at home this weekend.
Doubts Remain Over Rodri's Fitness
Pep Guardiola stated ahead of Monday's visit to the Hill Dickinson Stadium that Rodri was making good progress in his recovery from a groin problem, yet the Spaniard was conspicuously absent on Merseyside.
City's urgent need for a winning run to even stand a chance of recapturing the Premier League title means Rodri could return to Guardiola's midfield on Saturday alongside the soon-to-depart Bernardo Silva.
Rúben Dias has been sidelined since mid-March with a thigh problem, though the Cityzens had managed reasonably well without the Portuguese prior to their Everton fixture. That said, Dias doesn't appear close to returning, and City have little reason to rush him back, particularly with the World Cup on the horizon.
Joško Gvardiol's World Cup prospects were thrown into jeopardy after he sustained a tibial fracture in January, and the Croatian international looks unlikely to feature again this campaign.
Man City Predicted Lineup vs. Brentford (4-2-3-1)
GK: Gianluigi Donnarumma—Not even a crucial stop from Iliman Ndiaye could spare Donnarumma from conceding three times in 13 minutes at Everton. The Italian's weakness when dealing with crosses was laid bare by an inswinging James Garner corner, and Brentford will surely look to exploit last season's Champions League-winning goalkeeper in that regard this weekend.
RB: Matheus Nunes—Nunes could barely maintain his balance as City were overwhelmed by an Evertonian onslaught. He's enjoyed a solid season at right back, but Monday night served as a reminder of his shortcomings.
CB: Abdukodir Khusanov—The Uzbekistani centre-back had been outstanding during City's upturn before Everton, and it will be fascinating to see how the fallout from Monday night affects the usually composed Khusanov.
CB: Marc Guéhi—The England international has played every single Premier League minute for the Cityzens since arriving in January. He'll be eager to show that his costly error was merely a one-off.
LB: Nico O'Reilly—The makeshift left back has been a fixture in Guardiola's side during the run-in, and the Spaniard may have second-guessed his decision to opt for Nico González over him alongside Bernardo Silva last time out.
CM: Bernardo Silva—Even Guardiola's trusted lieutenant struggled at the Hill Dickinson, but City's skipper will not surrender without a fight as his time in Manchester draws to a close.
CM: Rodri—He may not yet be fully back to the form that earned him the 2024 Ballon d'Or, but City's fragility without their No. 16 was plain to see in the second half at Everton.
AM: Phil Foden—A subtle tweak to City's attack could see Foden, who recently penned a four-year contract extension despite a challenging couple of seasons, return to Guardiola's starting XI. Only against Brighton & Hove Albion (eight) has Foden scored more Premier League goals than against Brentford (seven).
RW: Rayan Cherki—It's been some time since Cherki and Foden have started together, but Antoine Semenyo's recent dip in form should prompt Guardiola to lean on City's creative talents.
ST: Erling Haaland—Haaland goes up against the only player who could realistically challenge him for the Golden Boot this weekend, with Igor Thiago sitting three goals behind the Norwegian's tally of 25.
LW: Jérémy Doku—Two brilliant strikes that deserved to win any game only secured City a single point on Merseyside. Doku has largely shone as a creator rather than a scorer this season, with his 50 open-play chances created being the highest figure in the division.