Haaland powers Manchester City to narrow win at Brentford 

Manchester City extended their unbeaten run to seven games in all competitions after a 1–0 victory over Brentford at the GTech Community Stadium on Sunday.

Erling Haaland’s ninth-minute strike made the difference, as Pep Guardiola’s men dug deep to secure all three points before the international break.

The Norwegian striker, fresh from a goal drought that stretched over two games, needed less than ten minutes to stamp his mark. A long ball from Josko Gvardiol split Brentford’s backline, and Haaland outmuscled Sepp van den Berg before drilling a low drive past Caoihim Kelleher to give City the lead.

That early breakthrough set the tone for a first half that was one-way traffic. Phil Foden, Tijjani Reijnders, and Oscar Bobb kept Brentford pinned in their half with wave after wave of attacks. Foden saw a close-range effort blocked by Kelleher, while Reijnders tested the keeper again with a late volley that demanded quick reflexes.

However, City’s momentum took a hit midway through the first half when Rodri pulled up clutching his hamstring in the 21st minute. The Spaniard’s substitution raised concerns for Guardiola, who watched his side’s fluidity dip slightly afterward.

Brentford found a lifeline early in the second half when Josko Gvardiol misjudged a long ball, allowing Igor Thiago a clear run on goal. But goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, untested in the first half, reacted sharply to deny the striker and preserve City’s narrow lead.

From then on, it became a tactical chess match. Guardiola’s men controlled possession but struggled to find a killer second goal, while Brentford pressed high, hoping for a defensive lapse. Michael Kayode came close with a header in the 58th minute, but his effort flew over.

As the game drew to a nervy close, Kevin Schade nearly punished Donnarumma for a moment of hesitation in the 89th minute, the ball deflecting wide to City’s relief.

When the final whistle blew, relief was the overriding emotion in sky blue. City’s first-half dominance had faded into a defensive grind, but the job was done.