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.
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 Josko 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 half-time, 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 legwork after half-time, 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: Josko Gvardiol (Manchester City)
