Pep Guardiola sends clear message to groaning Man City fans during frustrating first-half in Brentford win

Pep Guardiola gestured at a frustrated Manchester City crowd to ‘calm down’ during the first-half of a 1-0 win against Brentford. The Premier League champions were held to a goalless opening 45 minutes before ultimately seeing off a stubborn Bees side on Tuesday night. It was a frustrating first-half for CityGetty City bossed possession and created numerous chances but failed to break the visitors’ resistance until a slip from Brentford defender Kristoffer Ajer allowed Erling Haaland to score on 71 minutes. But earlier, having dropped points in a 1-1 draw against Chelsea on Saturday, groans could be heard from the Etihad Stadium faithful as goalkeeper Ederson lingered on the ball. It was not the first time the home crowd had expressed their displeasure at a perceived lack of urgency from Guardiola’s men. Picking up on the complaints, the City boss turned to the crowd behind him and sent a clear message. Speaking on commentary for talkSPORT, Sam Matterface said: “Guardiola turned round to the crowd, I’ve seen him do this a couple of times here, and gestured as if to say, ‘Just chill out, leave it, we’ll get there, just calm down’. Seconds later, Bernardo Silva spurned City’s best chance of the first-half, and England legend Stuart Pearce said it could have been immediate vindication for Guardiola. Pearce said: “Pep was telling the crowd to be patient with Ederson. If that hit the back of the net, he would’ve been straight back at them to say, ‘I told you so’.” At half time, talkSPORT host Adrian Durham was keen to defend the City crowd, highlighting that dissenting voices were balanced out by supportive fans. City started the night four points adrift of LiverpoolGetty Durham said: “There are frustrations among the City fans. “But to be fair to them there were plenty of points in that first half where they’ve got behind their players.”