How Phil Foden's hat-trick brought Man City within striking distance of Liverpool at top

The matchup between Manchester City's Erling Haaland and Brentford's Ivan Toney had been eagerly anticipated as a tantalizing battle between two of the Premier League's most lethal strikers. Furthermore, it marked a significant moment as Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne, two stalwarts in City's star-studded lineup, started together for the first time since the opening weekend of the season.  

However, by the final whistle, the focus had shifted to another gem whose irresistible luminosity was on full display. Throughout the encounter, Phil Foden was a perpetual motion machine. He didn't waste a moment indulging in flashy flicks. He was constantly on the prowl, tirelessly seeking out spaces that left Brentford at a loss on how to contain him.

Initially, there was a flicker of hope that Brentford could pull off another surprise as they managed to take the lead against the run of play, courtesy of Neal Maupay's unexpected goal. Their goalkeeper Mark Flekken had to summon a heroic performance, pulling off a string of saves to keep the defending champions at bay.

It was a period that could have caused City to self-destruct. Last season, they had experienced the bitter taste of defeat at the hands of Brentford despite their dominant control of possession, and they were on the brink of falling behind 2-0 if not for Ederson's acrobatic dive to deny Sergio Reguilon's sensational strike.

This time around, Foden swiftly took command of the game, leaving Flekken utterly helpless to thwart his clever strike right before the halftime whistle. From that moment onward, Foden never looked back. His second goal materialized through a perfectly timed run into the box, culminating in a polished finish from a delightful De Bruyne cross.

Shortly thereafter, Foden completed his hat-trick, capitalizing on a well-executed layoff from Haaland, shrugging off the challenge of two defenders, and calmly slotting the ball into the back of the net. 

Foden's impressive tally now stands at eight league goals and seven assists. According to stats provider Opta, only four prolific strikers – Mohamed Salah, Ollie Watkins, Haaland, and Son Heung-min – have been involved in more goals than Foden so far this season. This marks his most outstanding campaign yet for City. "I'm delighted with how I'm playing. It's the best form I've had in a City shirt for a long time, consistently, so long may that continue," Foden exclaimed with a beaming smile after the match.

There's no doubt that it was a performance that exuded an air of foreboding for City's rivals, as they not only closed the gap to a mere two points behind league leaders Liverpool, but also witnessed Foden stepping up to shoulder the goal-scoring responsibility while Haaland continues to regain his lethal form following a foot injury.

With a potential win over Everton at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, City could surge to the top of the league table, further asserting their dominance in the race for the Premier League title. Their presence casts an ever-growing shadow over their competitors, as City's relentless pursuit of glory has evolved into an unstoppable march towards success.