So far, 116 players from the Premier League have been named in World Cup squads – a record number for any league. Even a minor injury could derail the World Cup dreams of any of these players. Manchester City, who host Brentford in the first leg, have the most invited players, with 15 boarding planes for Qatar next week. Pep Guardiola, who is done with Manchester City at the end of the season, is satisfied with his side’s early season performance. He said: “We could have been top of the league but Arsenal were outstanding. “We were very good, but another team was better. We have to accept it as this is the level, the bar, the standard. “But the main goal this season is to qualify for the Champions League and not be too far from the top of the league. That’s the situation.” City come into this game on the back of a 2-0 win in the third round of the Carabao Cup against Chelsea. They now face Liverpool in the next round on December 20 – their first game since the World Cup. Guardiola remained cautious on whether Erling Haaland would return to the starting line-up for today’s game. The Norwegian has not started a game since picking up a leg injury in the Champions League draw at Borussia Dortmund on October 25. “It’s a bit better. After today’s training, we’ll see,” Guardiola said on Friday. Thomas Frank’s Brentford are 11th with 16 points after 14 matches and are winless in all seven away league trips, with four draws and three defeats. They suffered a midweek Carabao Cup defeat to League Two Gillingham on penalties, but Guardiola is not underestimating today’s opponents. He said: “It’s the last game before the stoppage – we’ve got to play our game and do our job. Brentford are thinking the same – to finish in the best possible way before the World Cup break. It’s no different for them.”
