Man City 2-1 Brentford: Erling Haaland at the double as hosts come ...
Erling Haaland's ridiculous scoring start to the season rolled on as he scored his eighth and ninth goals in Man City's 2-1 win over Brentford.
Haaland's double means City's star striker has become the first player in Premier League history to score nine goals across the first four games. The Norwegian had been a doubt for the game following the death of a close family friend but he was at his devastating best.
His team needed him too as Brentford were excellent in the first half, scoring the fastest goal of the season so far when Yoane Wissa netted after 22 seconds.
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Pep Guardiola welcomed back Kyle Walker and John Stones for their first starts of the season after their exploits in the summer with England. They were two of four changes made from the win at West Ham with Ilkay Gundogan making his first start since his return and Savinho returning from injury. Sepp van den Berg and Keane Lewis-Potter came in for Brentford whilst Kevin Schade dropped to the bench.Thomas Frank's team had more possession and created a higher volume of expected goals inside 45 minutes than Pep Guardiola's - but Haaland's ruthless finishing before the break was the difference.
Player ratings:
Man City: Ederson (8), Walker (7), Stones (5), Akanji (6), Lewis (6), Gundogan (6), Kovacic (6), De Bruyne (7), Grealish (7), Savinho (7), Haaland (9)
Subs: Rodri (7), Gvardiol (7), Nunes (6), Dias (7), Silva (7)
Brentford: Flekken (7), Ajer (7), Collins (7), Pinnock (6), Van den Berg (7), Janelt (6), Norgaard (7), Damsgaard (7), Lewis-Potter (7), Mbeumo (8), Wissa (8)
Subs: Yarmoliuk (6), Schade (6), Carvalho (6), Roerslev (6)
Player of the Match: Haaland
Haaland was the width of the post away from becoming the first player in Premier League history to score hat-tricks in three successive games as City established more control as the game wore on.
City also welcomed back Rodri for the first time this season in the second half and further chances came for Haaland as Mark Flekken denied him on a couple of occasions.
It's now four wins from four for City, who remain perfect in their bid to defend their Premier League crown.
Image: Erling Haaland celebrates his second goal of the game
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Man City boss Pep Guardiola said:
"I don't remember in eight, nine years a team that played like Brentford in the first 30 minutes.
"We were not our best and they deserve to be 0-2. Every time they had the ball they create the chance. Long balls, win duels, short passes break the lines.
"Extraordinary team, we have suffered since they were promoted, all the games against Thomas have been difficult.
"They were really good and we were lucky.
"Second half was our best and we created a lot of chances and we could score more."
Analysis: You can't let Man City off the hookSky Sports' Oli Yew:
"There was so much to be admired from Brentford.
"They certainly had the champions worried, especially with the sharpness of their counter-attacks in the opening half an hour.
"But it wasn't enough against a side like City.
"In the end, missed chances proved costly for Frank's side. Bryan Mbeumo should have put the visitors 2-0 up early on. Keane Lewis-Potter should have done better with a crossing opportunity to level the scores in the second half.
"You cannot let Man City off the hook. Even if they start under par, they won't finish under par. And so it proved, especially with a goalscorer as clinical as Haaland.
"Man City, even at this early stage in the season, are looking ominous."
Analysis: There is hope for the rest - Man City are vulnerableImage: Brentford's Yoane Wissa opens the scoring at the Etihad Staduim
Sky Sports' Lewis Jones:
"Man City's defence has become more vulnerable in recent seasons, especially at home. And that was on show in a masterclass of a first half from Brentford about how to expose Pep Guardiola's team in transition. When you get the ball, play forward quickly and directly.
"It resulted in the Bees stinging the champions inside 22 seconds. It could have been more. This was only the second time under Guardiola that City had conceded five or more shots on target in a first half of a Premier League home game.
"Interestingly, City have now conceded at least once in 15 of their last 21 home matches, including to bottom-half teams like Luton, Wolves, Burnley, Fulham and Ipswich.
"Brentford showed the blueprint of how to seriously trouble Guardiola's side. If others can follow, there might be hope for the challengers."
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