On a weekend where defending Premier League (PL) champions Liverpool lost, Manchester City staked their claim in the title race by beating Brentford 1-0 in west London, stretching their unbeaten run in all competitions to seven matches.
Key stats
- Manchester City attempted 755 passes in this game, the highest total by any team in a single match in the Premier League this season
- For the first time in their 159 Premier League games, Brentford failed to record a single touch in the opponent's penalty area in the first half
- Brentford took until the 36th minute through Igor Thiago to record their first shot of this match - just the third time across their 80 Premier League home games that they failed to record a shot in the opening 35 minutes, after February 2022 (v Newcastle United) and May 2023 (also v Manchester City)
Highlights
Analysis
Josko Gvardiol completed 93/98 (95 per cent) of his passes, had 117 touches and provided the assist for Erling Haaland's match-winning goal.
After being dominated in the first half, Brentford battled back in the second 45 but were unable to find an equaliser.
After just seven games, Erling Haaland is one goal shy of double figures.
Match report
Brentford have been the PL’s perennial strong starters this season, but they were on the receiving end of the first goal today as City took an early lead.
Despite being famed for their free-flowing football, it was one long ball forward from Joško Gvardiol which led to City’s opener, as Erling Haaland muscled Sepp van den Berg off the ball before hammering an effort past Caoimhin Kelleher at his near post.
The Cityzens dominated the early stages, but their afternoon took a sour turn midway through the first half when Rodri went down with yet another injury and was forced off.
Pep Guardiola’s side were far from at their free-flowing best at times in the first half, but only a stunning one-handed reaction save from Kelleher prevented them doubling their lead as he denied Tijjani Reijnders on the volley.
Brentford offered precious little in an attacking sense before HT, but within two minutes of the restart they’d created a clear sighting of the City goal.
It fell to the person they’d have hoped it would too, as Igor Thiago strode clear on goal, but a heavy touch allowed Gianluigi Donnarumma to get close enough to smother the Brazilian’s dinked effort.
It was the Bees doing most of the leg work after HT, as is expected of a side chasing the game, but chances kept coming and going, with Michael Kayode the latest to waste a promising opening when he headed over at the far post.
City were pinned in at times in the second half and didn’t offer much by way of finding a second goal, which will have left Guardiola feeling a little twitchy having already seen his side squander 1-0 leads in two of their last three PL away games, while also doing so at Monaco in midweek.
Coming into this game with fewer points after six rounds than City had ever accumulated under Guardiola proved they have an air of vulnerability around them, and that gave Brentford hope of finding a leveller going into the closing stages.
That was ultimately hope they were never able to translate into reality as City held firm to move to within three points of the PL summit.
Brentford remain firmly in the lower echelons of the PL, but they at least head into the international break outside of the drop zone.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Joško Gvardiol (Manchester City)
Post-match comments
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland to Sky Sports:
"It was a tough game and reminded me a bit of Stoke City with Delap 15 years ago. It was lovely to win and important.
"They are huge and they do throw ins from the middle so of course it's not easy, but it's about being ready for what's to come.
"For me, this is a proper goal... for me, it's one of my better goals because of the whole thing.
"We have a great backroom staff who did their job well so all praise to them."
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola to Sky Sports:
"We played an outstanding first half that is close to our best in many, many things.
"The problem is when you don't score goals, and the chances we had, Kelleher made some good saves. It's more difficult in the Premier League. In the second half, we're 1-0, and this happened.
"In general, really pleased with this month since the United game grew up a lot in many, many things, and hopefully come back healthy the players from the national team."