Manchester City 1 Brentford 0: Pep Guardiola’s side fight their way to a crucial win

Manchester City 1 (Erling Haaland 9′)

Brentford 0

Manchester City have beaten Brentford 1-nil today at the GTech Community Stadium. A ninth-minute goal from Erling Haaland was enough for Pep Guardiola’s side to extend their unbeaten run to seven matches in all competitions and pick up a crucial three points to continue the momentum they’ve built heading into the international break.

When the starting lineups and matchday squads were announced, Rayan Cherki returned to the City squad for the first time since suffering a thigh injury in August. Pep Guardiola made three changes to the starting lineup that drew with AS Monaco. The biggest surprise was that Jeremy Doku was named on the bench after his strong recent performances.

First half

Manchester City made a bright start to the game in the opening seven minutes. Pep Guardiola’s side was crisp in possession and was dictating the tempo of the match. A driving Tijjani Reijnders run in the fifth minute caught the eye. The Dutch international surged into the box from the left wing, but he couldn’t get the ball out of his feet as it fell safely into the arms of Brentford goalkeeper Caoihim Kelleher. Josko Gvardiol would place a header straight at Kelleher in the 7th minute from a Phil Foden corner as Manchester City made a bright start to the match.

Erling Haaland powers Manchester City into an early lead!!!!!

Manchester City would take a 1-nil lead in the 9th minute. Josko Gvardiol played a ball over the top of the Brentford defence, which allowed Erling Haaland to show his physicality and power. Haaland was too strong for Brentford defender Sepp van den Berg as he shrugged off van den Berg and unleashed an unstoppable low drive past Caoihim Kelleher to give Pep Guardiola’s side an early lead. Manchester City’s early lead was well-deserved based on how they’d begun the game.

Haaland continues scoringpic.twitter.com/25rNnJCuTY

— Goals Xtra (@GoalsXtra) October 5, 2025

Phil Foden would have the game’s next big chance in the 19th minute. A well-worked move on the right wing between Oscar Bobb, Matheus Nunes and Tijjani Reijnders created an opportunity for Foden. Bobb picked out Reijnders, who teed up Foden on the edge of the Brentford penalty area with a first-touch pass. Foden’s left-footed shot was hit straight at Caoihim Kelleher.

Unfortunately for Manchester City, Rodri had to be substituted in the 21st minute. It appeared that Rodri had suffered a hamstring injury while stretching to receive a pass. He was replaced by Nico in a blow for Pep Guardiola’s side.

A driving run from Oscar Bobb almost created another opening for Manchester City in the 28th minute. Bobb drove through the Brentford defence from the right and got himself into a dangerous position in the penalty area. The young winger played in a teasing ball across the Brentford area that was somehow cleared by the Brentford defence. Foden was unfortunate not to get on the end of Bobb’s ball.

Phil Foden squanders a good chance to double City’s lead.

Phil Foden would scuff a right-footed shot wide two minutes later. Oscar Bobb was set free on the right, and he played in a teasing low cross to Foden, who picked up the ball just inside the Brentford penalty area. The England international unleashed a right-footed shot from a good position that went wide.

Caoihim Kelleher would make a quality save in the 38th minute to prevent Pep Guardiola’s side from doubling their lead. Nico O’Reilly played in a quality ball from the left to the back post. Tijjani Reijnders made a good late run into the box and hit a powerful volley on goal. Kelleher made a good reflex save to keep the score at 1-nil.

Manchester City would take a 1-nil lead into the interval. Pep Guardiola’s side had dominated the match, and, through their play in possession, had suffocated the threat of Brentford. The issue was City only took a 1-nil lead into halftime. It was a great performance from City in the first half, and the hope was they could build on it in the second half.

Second half

Gianluigi Donnarumma would make his first save of the afternoon in the 47th minute. Brentford played a long ball out of their defence, and Josko Gvardiol misjudged the ball in the air under pressure from Brentford striker Igor Thiago. Gvardiol’s poor header played in Thiago, who was left one-on-one with Donnarumma. But Thiago’s tame finish was saved by Donnarumma on the edge of the City area. But the chance was a warning to Pep Guardiola’s side that the job was far from done.

Brentford would have the next chance of the match in the 58th minute. Michael Kayode would head a Kevin Schade cross over the bar. But the hosts were growing into the game and were beginning to win their share of duels to provide something for their fans to hang onto.

From the 58th minute until the 70th minute, Manchester City did take the sting out of the game through a good spell of possession. But the threat of Brentford remained. As the game entered the final 20 minutes, there was still all to play for.

In the 89th minute, Kevin Schade charged down Gianluigi Donnarumma, who took too long to play the ball. The deflection went wide of the goal, which was lucky for Manchester City’s Italian goalkeeper. Perhaps tellingly, that was the only chance of note that Brentford had created during the game’s closing stages.

That would be the only moment of note before the referee blew the final whistle. Manchester City picked up a crucial three points and extended their unbeaten run to seven matches in all competitions.

First thoughts after the final whistle.

Today’s match was a tale of two halves for Manchester City. They dominated the first half and should have been out of sight at the interval. The first half performance of Manchester City’s was arguably their best 45 minutes of the season. But the second half became a scrap as Brentford put pressure on Pep Guardiola’s side. But outside of one crucial save from Gianluigi Donnarumma, Keith Andrews’ side didn’t create any significant openings.

All told, today’s win for Manchester City was an important one. It helps them build belief and enter the international break full of momentum for what lies ahead.