Man City v Brentford LIVE: Premier League result as Erling Haaland goal sends City a point off the top
Man City 1-0 Brentford: Erling Haaland’s second-half goal edged City to victory over the stubborn Bees
Erling Haaland erased any questions about his scoring touch, netting Manchester City’s only goal in a 1-0 victory over Brentford that lifted them into second place in the Premier League table, just one point behind leaders Liverpool.
Pep Guardiola’s team, unbeaten in their last 10 league matches and finally even in games played with title rivals Liverpool and Arsenal, have 56 points, one ahead of Arsenal. Brentford are five points above the relegation zone in 14th.
Haaland, who three days earlier pushed a camera in frustration after missing a top-flight career-worst nine shots in a 1-1 draw with Chelsea, was back in form, increasing his league tally to 17 goals.
The Norwegian broke the deadlock in the 71st minute when he sprinted onto a beautiful through ball from Julian Alvarez then stroked it past a slipping Kristoffer Ajer before beating keeper Mark Flekken. Haaland has now scored against every Premier League club he has faced. He has yet to play Luton Town.
The match is not on TV but relive all the action in our live blog below:
Man City 0-0 Brentford
30 mins: Bobb dinks another ball across and Haaland goes for the acrobatic finish, going airborne and flicking the ball over his head. A long way over the bar though.
Man City 0-0 Brentford
29 mins: Bobb weaves between a couple of defenders but can’t find Haaland with the pass. City come again and Alvarez shoots from outside the box but his attempt flashes across goal and wide of Flekken’s post.
Man City 0-0 Brentford
26 mins: Miscommunication between Ajer and Flekken, with the defender putting the ball behind for another City corner.
Brentford can’t clear the initial corner, it falls to Alvarez about 14 yards out but his half-volley is high, wide and not so handsome.
Man City 0-0 Brentford
23 mins: Brentford look most dangerous, perhaps unsurprisingly, on the counter-attack when they can race through or over the City press. Janelt tries to chase a ball over the top for the Bees after some good hold-up work by Toney but Dias reads it well and comes across to cover.
Man City 0-0 Brentford
21 mins: Haaland and Silva with some nice interplay around the Brentford box and Roerslev slides in to put the ball behind for a corner.- Flekken comes out and cleanly claims Foden’s inswinging corner. Good take by the Bees keeper.
CLOSE! Man City 0-0 Brentford
19 mins: Onyeka scythed down on the edge of the box by a stray Dias leg and Toney will fancy a look at this free-kick. Between 20 and 25 yards out, slightly left of centre...
Reguilon backheels it and Toney strikes it hard but it’s an inch or two over the bar. Nice set-piece move. Positive signs for Brentford
SAVE! Man City 0-0 Brentford
16 mins: Nice ball down the right touchline from Zanka to Roerslev but light-blue shirts swarm and force Brentford all the way back. A decent spell of possession for the Bees though to take the sting out of Man City.
Then a better chance for Brentford. Gorgeous touch from Wiaaa on halfway as he brings down a lofted pass and then slips Wissa away with a defence-splitting pass. He’s half-clear of the defence towards the elft of the goal but the shot is week and Ederson can stay big to save.
Man City 0-0 Brentford
13 mins: Foden slips in Walker in the right channel but his cross can’t beat the first man. Better on his next crossing attempt as he fizzes one in low but Norgaard intercepts. City probing as they normally do but lots of red-and-white shirts behind the ball holding firm so far.
Man City 0-0 Brentford
9 mins: Foden again strikes at goal from distance but Flekken easily down to collect it.
Haaland then gets half a yard of space on the penalty spot and a cross is floated into him but his header goes harmlessly wide. It was a bit too high for him to properly attack.
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