Retrospective analysis highlights Riyad Mahrez's decisive role in Manchester City's 2022 title campaign
The victory marked Brentford's first league visit to the Etihad Stadium in 71 years and cemented Manchester City's dominance under Pep Guardiola.
Ahead of the scheduled fixture against Brentford, a retrospective review published by Yahoo Sports examines Riyad Mahrez's pivotal contribution to Manchester City's Premier League title retention in February 2022. The analysis focuses on a specific match where the Algerian winger converted a penalty to open the scoring, a moment described as demonstrating his ice-cool temperament from the spot.
The victory secured a twelve-point lead at the summit of the Premier League table, a statistical advantage that contributed significantly to the club retaining the title. The fixture held historical weight as it represented Brentford's first league visit to the Etihad Stadium in 71 years and their first top-flight meeting since Christmas Day 1937.
Mahrez entered the contest in exceptional form, having scored seven goals in his previous six matches alongside four assists. This run included a goal and assist in three successive Premier League victories over Leeds, Newcastle and Leicester, during which City rattled in 17 goals across all competitions. The winger was noted for being rested for the preceding 1-0 away win at Brentford before returning to feature in the decisive home encounter.
The breakthrough came just before half-time following Mads Roerslev's rash tackle on Raheem Sterling, which presented Mahrez with the opportunity to score from the penalty spot. He sent Brentford goalkeeper David Raya the wrong way to make no mistake, capitalising on a chance created by the City man's silky best play on the right wing.
Kevin de Bruyne added a second goal after Raya's poor pass straight to Sterling gave the midfielder a chance to shoot, although his effort was initially saved. De Bruyne followed up to secure another three points, ensuring the result was not overturned. The match concluded with a 2-0 victory that extended City's lead at the top of the table by 12 points.
Pep Guardiola expressed delight with Mahrez's performances, noting that the team had struggled with penalties in the preceding year. The manager described the winger as having a special quality, stating that he had become a guarantee who scores every penalty he takes, especially under pressure. The review concludes that this specific performance against the Bees was instrumental in the club's broader success during the campaign.
