Man City 2-1 Brentford: Player ratings as brilliant Haaland inspires comeback win

Manchester City maintained their perfect start to the new Premier League season with a 2-1 victory at home to Brentford on Saturday.

Thomas Frank's side stunned the hosts with a goal almost straight from kick-off but they were ultimately undone by the ruthlessness of Erling Haaland, who took his tally for the season to nine from just four outings.

The champions are now the only team to have taken 12 points from 12 so far this term after Liverpool faltered against Nottingham Forest.

How the game unfolded

With only 22 seconds on the clock, Brentford took a shock lead. John Stones sliced a clearance from a Keane Lewis-Potter header across the six-yard box, and Yoane Wissa popped up to nod the loose ball into the back of the net - the earliest home goal City have ever conceded in the Premier League.

Brentford went close to doubling their lead shortly after when Bryan Mbeumo broke free, but he was pegged back by the retreating Rico Lewis. Ederson also had to be alert to deny a first-time strike from Nathan Collins as the visitors' fast start continued.

With their first opportunity of note, City pulled level. Kevin De Bruyne instinctively poked the ball into the path of Haaland, who despite facing away from goal, swivelled and found the far corner with a shot which deflected off the leg of Ethan Pinnock.

City were starting to find their groove again up against a deep Brentford block, with De Bruyne lashing a strike from 25 yards narrowly wide, and it wasn't long before they were ahead – a long ball from Ederson sailed over the Brentford backline and Haaland bumped off the challenge of Pinnock before dinking the ball past goalkeeper Mark Flekken.

Christian Norgaard made a crucial clearance to ensure City didn't score a quick third, while Savinho's woeful dive in the box resulted in a yellow card.

The Bees were still effective in transition and ought to have made more of an opening on the hour mark. Mbeumo's ball to Lewis-Potter was perfect and Kevin Schade was waiting for a tap in at the back post, but the winger's cross skewed over the bar and City were let off the hook.

Flekken had to be at full stretch to push aside strikes from Grealish and Haaland as City sought to stretch their lead beyond any sort of doubt, and the Dutchman also made a tremendous save with his right foot to deny Savinho.

Haaland then struck the post and forced another save out of Flekken as Brentford tried their best to keep the hosts out and sneak an equaliser, before Yehor Yarmolyuk went close to scoring a leveller as his shot trickled wide of the far post.

Manchester City player ratings (4-3-3)

GK: Ederson - 8/10 - Made some excellent saves to keep City in the contest, while he also came up with his fourth Premier League assist. Couldn't have asked for much more.

RB: Kyle Walker - 5/10 - A slow start to the season wasn't helped by a rather haphazard display here. Some loose passes and touches threatened to hurt his side.

CB: John Stones - 4/10 - If you were to be kind, then Stones was too undercooked when trying to clear Lewis-Potter's first-minute cross. That doesn't fly in the Premier League though and he should've known better to just clear the danger. Like Walker seemed off the pace in terms of his sharpness.

CB: Manuel Akanji - 6/10 - Made to use his recovery pace early doors when Brentford were in the ascendancy straight out of the blocks.

LB: Rico Lewis - 6/10 - Arguably City's strongest defender in the first half before being withdrawn.

CM: Mateo Kovacic - 6/10 - Spread play well when Brentford were looking to shut up shop and protect their early lead. Like Lewis was taken off at the break.

CM: Kevin De Bruyne - 8/10 - Lacks the power of his younger years but remains one of the world's best passers, ever so effortless with his brilliance. City's best outfielder that wasn't on the scoresheet.

CM: Ilkay Gundogan - 6/10 - Handed his first start for City since the 2023 Champions League final. Slotted back in seamlessly without conjuring up anything spectacular.

RW: Savinho - 7/10 - Had joy trying to break free from the doubling up of Collins and Lewis-Potter. The only real blemish on his record was a tragic dive just after the interval, which earned him a needless yellow card.

CF: Erling Haaland - 10/10 - The only reason people aren't shouting to the heavens that he may be the best player in the world is because everything City achieve comes without the fanfare of other clubs. Astonishingly superb once more.

LW: Jack Grealish - 6/10 - Having been freed from the shackles of discipline while away with England, Grealish returned to his 'cut back, keep possession' leash here. Sigh.

Substitutes

SUB: Josko Gvardiol (46' for Lewis) - 7/10 - City were hardly troubled after his introduction at the break.

SUB: Rodri (46' for Kovacic) - 7/10 - Similarly played on autopilot on his return from injury.

SUB: Bernardo Silva (84' for Grealish) - 6/10

SUB: Ruben Dias (84' for Stones) - 6/10

SUB: Matheus Nunes (90' for Savinho) - N/A

Subs not used: Stefan Ortega (GK), James McAtee, Jeremy Doku, Phil Foden

Manager

Pep Guardiola - 7/10 - City deserved to go behind but they rallied well to put that blemish behind them.

Brentford player ratings (4-4-2)

GK: Mark Flekken - 8/10 - It was another busy day at the Etihad for the Dutchman, who ensured Brentford were never totally out of sight with his goalkeeping.

RB: Kristoffer Ajer - 6/10 - Did well to nullify Grealish, while his surprising quickness was an asset on the counter.

CB: Sepp van den Berg - 6/10 - A solid Premier League debut for the former Liverpool defender. Didn't shrink when City piled the pressure on.

CB: Ethan Pinnock - 4/10 - Had the better of Haaland in the past, but the freakish Norwegian got his revenge here, having more of his way up against the Jamaica international.

LB: Nathan Collins - 6/10 - Tucked inside to block off the space for Savinho to operate in, with Lewis-Potter retreating back down the flank to help the Irishman out.

RM: Mikkel Damsgaard - 5/10 - Shunted to the right as Frank's tactical switchup took shape. Found pockets of space in the opening exchanges but that freedom was soon retracted by City.

CM: Christian Norgaard - 6/10 - A ball magnet at times, coming to Brentford's rescue with many an important clearance.

CM: Vitaly Janelt - 5/10 - Energetic as usual, but sacrificed late in the day for Carvalho when physicality wasn't enough.

LM: Keane Lewis-Potter - 6/10 - It was his header that led to Wissa's opener, though he should have done more to create further chances. Worked hard to come back and support Collins.

CF: Bryan Mbeumo - 6/10 - Hardly a vintage game from Mbeumo but one in which he still gave the opposition frighteners when in possession.

CF: Yoane Wissa - 7/10 - Gave Brentford their incredibly early need with a quick-thinking header. Afternoon ended early after rolling his ankle.

Substitutes

SUB: Kevin Schade (45' for Wissa) - 6/10 - Brentford failed to exploit the German's pace more often.

SUB: Mads Roerslev (72' for Ajer) - 5/10

SUB: Fabio Carvalho (72' for Janelt) - 5/10

SUB: Yehor Yarmolyuk (84' for Damsgaard) - 6/10

Subs not used: Hakon Valdimarsson (GK), Ben Mee, Jayden Meghoma, Ryan Trevitt, Yunus Emre Konak

Manager

Thomas Frank - 6/10 - Brentford battled to the bitter end but just lacked the quality to sustain the early momentum.

Player of the match - Erling Haaland (Man City)

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