Manchester City 2-1 Brentford. Erling Haaland scored twice to extend his Premier League tally to nine goals as Manchester City overcame a quick deficit to secure a 2-1 victory over Brentford and maintain their perfect start to the season.
Brentford’s Yoane Wissa stunned the hosts by scoring the quickest top-flight goal of the season, heading into an open net just 23 seconds in. The goal came after a rare mix-up between John Stones and Ederson, who failed to clear Keane Lewis-Potter’s header.
City’s response was swift and decisive. Haaland, who was playing despite the recent loss of a close family friend, leveled the score by tapping in a loose ball after Kevin de Bruyne was tackled inside the Brentford penalty area.
The Norwegian forward struck again before the break, muscling past Ethan Pinnock to connect with a long ball from Ederson. This put him tantalizingly close to becoming only the fifth player in English top-flight history—and the first since 1946—to score three consecutive hat-tricks.
Haaland’s quest for a third goal was nearly fulfilled. Brentford keeper Mark Flekken made a crucial save, tipping one of Haaland’s efforts over the bar. Haaland also hit the post with a first-time shot and couldn’t quite power the rebound into the net.
Despite the crowd’s support, his father Alfie watching from the stands, and Pep Guardiola’s decision to keep Haaland on the pitch ahead of Manchester City’s Champions League clash with Inter Milan, the striker had to settle for two goals.
In injury time, Haaland was named Man of the Match, bringing his City total to 99 goals in 103 appearances and maintaining a Premier League scoring rate of over one goal per game. To put this into perspective, legendary striker Sergio Aguero took 390 games to score his club record 260 goals. At Haaland’s current pace, he could surpass Aguero within three seasons.
Haaland’s ability to score from almost nothing was crucial for City, especially on a day when they needed his decisive intervention to secure the win. While new signing Savinho showed promise, he was unable to convert his chances.
There were other notable performances, too. Jack Grealish demonstrated signs of returning to form with a smart shot that required a full-length save from Flekken. Rodri made his seasonal debut as a second-half substitute, although Phil Foden remained on the bench.
In a week marked by personal sorrow for Haaland, his contributions were particularly poignant and fitting.
source – BBC
