Brentford celebrate their equaliserGetty Images

Brentford have earned 23 of their 28 points at home this season

Michael Emons
BBC Sport journalist

Manchester City's hopes of winning a fifth successive Premier League title suffered another blow as they threw away a 2-0 lead to draw at Brentford.

The Bees trailed by two goals after 78 minutes, only for Yoane Wissa to pull one back before captain Christian Norgaard's 92nd-minute headed equaliser saw them rescue a point in a thrilling finish.

Brentford almost stole the victory in the 95th minute, only for Nathan Ake to head Bryan Mbeumo's curled effort off the goalline.

Pep Guardiola's side went ahead in the 66th minute when Phil Foden leapt to cushion a side-footed volley from Kevin de Bruyne's superb cross from the right.

But Brentford nearly equalised five minutes later, only for Ake to clear the ball off the line from Wissa's effort after Mbeumo had set up the chance by going around City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega.

That miss looked to have proved costly when Foden scored his second in the 78th minute, reacting first to convert the rebound after Mark Flekken had parried Savinho's strike.

City were on course for a third successive Premier League win but the hosts had other ideas.

Brentford pulled one back when Wissa had space to shoot home from six yards out, a goal that was his 37th for the club in the top flight and one that took him above Ivan Toney as the Bees top scorer in the Premier League.

Then, at the end of a thrilling match at the Gtech Community Stadium, Norgaard delighted the home fans with a powerful header past Ortega.

Pep Guardiola was frustrated with a draw but paid a fond tribute to Tony Book

City have won the Premier League in each of the past four seasons but a run of just one win in nine league games in November and December damaged their hopes of lifting the trophy this term.

Victories over Leicester and West Ham, as well as an 8-0 thrashing of League Two Salford City in the FA Cup had boosted City morale, but this will feel like two points dropped.

"We were close and we had chances, we didn't take the right decisions," said City boss Pep Guardiola. "At the end they put a lot in the box and he (Norgaard) was there.

"It was an open game with a lot of chances and we were close but unfortunately we could not close it out.

"We know this is a difficult team from set-pieces and many other positions and in the end we missed the last moment. If we had better decisions then maybe it is different."

Follow live text and radio commentary of Tuesday's Premier League matches

'An exceptional person' - Guardiola's tribute to City legend Book

Tribute to Tony BookPA Media

There was a minute's applause in tribute to Tony Book

Before the match there was a minute's applause for Manchester City legend Tony Book, who died on Tuesday aged 90.

As a player he won four major trophies with City, including the league title in 1967-68, the FA Cup a season later and both the League Cup and European Cup Winners' Cup in 1969-70. As a manager, he guided City to the League Cup in 1976.

"He was an exceptional person," said Guardiola. "On behalf of us and all our family, he was an incredible person and I was lucky to meet him and we wanted to win to dedicate it to him.

"He had a long life, an incredible life and this is what this club is built on."

Disappointment for City as missed chances prove costly

City would have gone fifth and above Newcastle with a victory, but instead remain sixth and 12 points behind leaders Liverpool, who drew 1-1 at Nottingham Forest.

Brentford move up a spot into 10th, above Brighton on goal difference.

Even after Brentford had got a goal back, City had chances to restore their two-goal advantage but Savinho and Erling Haaland had attempts saved while James McAtee, who scored a hat-trick against Salford, fired just wide.

Guardiola's squad did not include England defender Kyle Walker, after the 34-year-old earlier this week said he was looking to leave the club in the January transfer window.

Brentford made a bright start as Wissa shot wide, had a shout for penalty rejected and narrowly missed Mbeumo's cross.

Ortega, preferred in goal with Ederson only on the bench, made a smart save low down to his left to keep out an effort from Mbeumo and also did well to deny Vitaly Janelt.

But City grew into the game with Savinho hitting the post early in the second half and he fired another chance into the side netting before Foden's double had City on course for the win, only for Brentford to produce an inspired fightback.

"The whole performance, I'm extremely happy with that," said Brentford boss Thomas Frank.

"We went toe-for-toe with one of the best teams in the world who can produce unbelievable pieces of brilliance. It was a well-deserved point. We lacked cutting edge before the goal but we showed that in the last 10, where we showed a fantastic mentality."

The Bees entertain Liverpool on Saturday, before City will be looking to return to winning ways at relegation-threatened Ipswich Town on Sunday.

Brentford's mentality to keep believing was through the roof - Frank

Phil FodenGetty Images

Phil Foden has scored six goals for Manchester City in all competitions in 2024-25

Player of the match

B. Mbeumo
7.67
19 B. Mbeumo
7.67
11 Y. Wissa
7.57
24 M. Damsgaard
7.53
6 C. Nørgaard
7.48
23 K. Lewis-Potter
7.16
3 R. Henry
7.12
22 N. Collins
7.11
7 K. Schade
7.10
1 M. Flekken
7.08
8 M. Jensen
7.02
18 Y. Yarmoliuk
6.99
27 V. Janelt
6.92
4 S. van den Berg
6.86
30 M. Roerslev
6.66
Back to team tabs

After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users.