Manchester City kept pace in the Premier League title race with a hard-fought 1–0 victory over Brentford, secured by yet another Erling Haaland strike.

The Norwegian forward bullied his way into the box inside the opening quarter of an hour, blasting home to register his 18th goal of the season and extend his astonishing record of scoring at 22 of the 23 stadiums he has played at in the league.

Josko Gvardiol’s direct pass sparked the breakthrough, but it was Haaland’s raw power against Sepp van den Berg that turned a routine ball into the decisive moment.

City could have doubled their advantage shortly after, but Brentford goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher produced a sharp stop to deny Tijani Reijnders.

Brentford, who had stunned Manchester United the previous weekend, threatened after the interval.

Igor Thiago squandered a golden one-on-one opportunity, while their trademark long throws failed to unsettle Pep Guardiola’s side. The Bees pushed late on, but City’s back line, marshalled by Ruben Dias, stood firm.

The night, however, brought bad news for Guardiola. Midfield lynchpin Rodri limped off in the first half with what appeared to be another serious injury.

Having only recently returned from an ACL layoff last season, the Spain international’s absence could prove costly given his pivotal role in City’s control and transition play.

Guardiola rotated heavily in attack, handing starts to youngsters Oscar Bobb and Savinho. Bobb impressed with flashes of skill, while Savinho endured a quieter evening as City showed less depth compared to title rivals Arsenal and Chelsea. Still, City demonstrated resilience, digging deep to grind out a result in west London rather than relying on their usual flowing football.

The three points lift City to fifth in the table, just three points behind leaders Arsenal heading into the international break. Haaland’s finishing remains their most reliable weapon, but Guardiola will be more concerned about Rodri’s fitness as the season’s intensity begins to rise.

City had gone three league games without a win, their worst run under Pep Guardiola since 2017, but Erling Haaland ensured the champions rediscovered their cutting edge.

 The Norwegian struck twice, taking his Premier League tally for the season to 10 goals and becoming the fastest player in history to reach 50 home goals in the competition.