Haaland strike seals narrow Manchester City win at Brentford

Manchester City edged past a resilient Brentford side with a hard-fought 1-0 victory at the Gtech Community Stadium on Sunday, thanks to an early goal from Erling Haaland. 

Despite dominating the opening stages, Pep Guardiola’s team were made to work tirelessly to hold on to their slender lead as Brentford piled on late pressure.

The Premier League champions got off to a dream start when Josko Gvardiol surged down the left flank and delivered a precise cross for Haaland, who calmly slotted past the goalkeeper in the ninth minute. 

The Norwegian’s clinical finish marked his sixth goal of the season and looked set to pave the way for another routine City victory. 

However, Brentford quickly grew into the game, frustrating Guardiola’s side with compact defending and well-timed counterattacks.

City’s rhythm took a hit when midfielder Rodri was forced off in the first half with a thigh injury, prompting concerns ahead of the upcoming international break. 

In his absence, Brentford found joy exploiting gaps in midfield, with Kevin Schade and Dango Ouattara threatening down the flanks. 

Despite this, City’s backline, marshalled by Ruben Dias, remained composed, with the Portuguese defender making several key interventions to preserve the lead.

The second half saw a spirited response from Brentford, who pressed higher up the pitch and forced City into uncharacteristic mistakes. 

Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma had a nervy moment late on when his clearance ricocheted off Schade, narrowly missing the net and giving Brentford a corner. Yet, for all their pressure, Thomas Frank’s side struggled to convert possession into clear scoring opportunities.

City, on the other hand, created little after the break, managing only one shot in the second half as Guardiola’s men focused on game management.

Substitutes Jeremy Doku and Nico O’Reilly added fresh legs but failed to rekindle City’s early fluency. 

The champions were forced into defensive mode, repelling a series of long throws and corners as Brentford chased an equaliser deep into stoppage time.

In the end, Haaland’s early strike proved decisive as Manchester City clinched all three points despite a laboured display.

The victory keeps City within touching distance of the top of the Premier League table, while Brentford remain mid-table after another valiant but fruitless performance. 

Guardiola’s side will, however, be sweating on Rodri’s fitness, with the Spanish midfielder’s condition likely to be monitored closely in the coming days.