Manchester City was jubilant in the 71st minute, while Brentford was devastated. The champions had run out of ideas and had been distracted by Thomas Frank’s strategy of defending with 10 and waiting for a breakaway strike. But in a brief period, Rúben Dias found Rodri at their location, demonstrating the hosts’ extraordinary competence. Erling Haaland, who had not scored yet, was the recipient of Julián Álvarez’s shot after he slid the ball to him. However, that was not the case tonight, as the lethal 23-year-old beat Mark Flekken to the goalkeeper’s right from inside the defensive as Kristoffer Ajer staggered while running in.

The game was over in the 95th minute, even though Flekken entered the City area during a corner. Haaland now has goals against all 21 Premier League opponents he has faced thanks to his triumph. With one point now separated between them and Liverpool, this sets up a crucial meeting at Anfield on March 10 that will decide City’s entire destiny. For that one, make sure you are ready.

Haaland was chastised for missing chances against Chelsea on Saturday. “This is the one that I would pick to score in if I had to choose,” Pep Guardiola said. Great strikers score a lot of goals, therefore if you criticise them, they will stop talking. Eventually, he will arrive. Losing one’s grandmother is tough for any human, particularly after two months [last Saturday week].

“Our game with Brentford is extremely difficult. The previous season, we gave up six points to them. Erling is needed for these kinds of games. The field was sufficiently slick after a second straight game of heavy rain for City to ping the ball around.

Although that draw made their league winning streak nine games, the Premier League hype machine concentrated a lot of attention on their two losses to Chelsea. When gauging their performance in late May, Guardiola’s squad has been the best in the country for the last three seasons. Currently, ten straight victories.

Bernardo Silva and Rodri were started together by Guardiola in an uncommon 4-2-3-1 formation. The two astute players frequently joined the assault to overwhelm and disrupt their opponents’ region. When Haaland clomped up to Sergio Reguilón, he did the same thing. He took the defender’s possession, turned, and aimed for a sighter that Flekken easily gathered. The Brentford keeper then jumped at a corner to block a rocket attempt by Phil Foden, but Frank’s group was able to get away.

Frank Onyeka’s dash clear along an inside-left channel was not surprising; Chelsea, like many teams, had thrived on the counterattack when playing City. But instead of making a weak attempt that Ederson could easily handle, the midfield player needed to have more resolution in seizing Yoane Wissa’s ball.