Haaland’s ninth‑in‑nine and Guardiola’s 250th as City grind out Brentford win despite Rodri scare

Erling Haaland struck in the ninth minute and Manchester City did the hard yards thereafter, surviving a bruising second half to beat Brentford 1-0 and give Pep Guardiola a 250th Premier League victory in record time. The champions married first‑half control with late defiance to climb to fifth and close to within three points of Arsenal.

It was not the sort of knockout City routinely delivered in their imperial phase, but it was a valuable away day: three points, a clean sheet and the sense that this evolving side can win in more than one way. With rivals wobbling, the title conversation still includes sky blue.

The strike that set the tone

The goal owed much to Haaland’s blend of power and timing. Josko Gvardiol’s delivery dropped over the line and the No 9 brushed past Sepp van den Berg and Nathan Collins before driving past Caoimhin Kelleher. It was his ninth league goal and kept alive a personal run of scoring in nine straight matches, part of an 18‑goal season to date across all fronts.

City should have had more by the interval. Tijjani Reijnders forced an instinctive save from Kelleher, while Phil Foden, fed by the quick improvisation of Oscar Bobb, passed up promising looks. With Jeremy Doku absent, Guardiola again rotated in the search for balance, a reminder that this City is a work in progress even as fans serenaded Kevin De Bruyne.

From command to containment

Brentford altered the temperature after half‑time, pressing higher and targeting the flanks. Michael Kayode headed wide and the long throws started to turn the contest into a wrestle for territory. An error in the backline sent Igor Thiago clean through, only for Gianluigi Donnarumma to win the one‑on‑one.

City managed the chaos without ever reasserting full control. Haaland helped defend Kayode’s missiles, likening the sequence to a throw‑in barrage of old. The numbers tell the tale: just one City attempt after the break and none on target. Still, in stoppage time, Guardiola and Haaland orchestrated the closing moments to see it through.

Rodri hobbles off but offers reassurance

A cloud drifted over the first half when Rodri pulled up around the 20‑minute mark with a right‑thigh issue. Given his carefully managed minutes after last season’s long layoff and a recent absence with knee pain, concern was understandable, not least because City’s structure so often runs through him.

Encouragingly, Rodri indicated afterwards that the hamstring problem felt minor and that he hopes to be available after the break. He spent the second half coaching from the technical area, an on‑the‑fly contribution that underlined leadership even in absence, while Guardiola stressed the importance of managing his load.

A landmark for Guardiola and the bigger picture

Guardiola’s 250th Premier League win came in his 349th match, a record‑pace marker that frames City’s broader ambition. Three victories in the last four league games keep them firmly in range, and with rivals dropping points they edged closer to Arsenal. There remains a need for more scoring support around Haaland, as recent tallies suggest.

Even so, this was a clean‑sheet response after the sting of late swings at Brighton, Arsenal and Monaco. The lesson is to translate first‑half superiority into a decisive second goal. That is the demand for the next stretch, when fine margins so often decide the race.

What these 90 minutes revealed

City are changing. The star system of previous years has given way to a group brimming with potential: Bobb’s sharpness, Foden’s first‑half control and squad rotation that asks for new partnerships. The identity remains Guardiola’s, but the routes to victory are diversifying.

Next up is Everton at the Etihad after the international break. If City add ruthlessness to the resilience shown here, the seventh league title in the Guardiola era will remain well within reach.