On 71 minutes, delight for Manchester City and heartbreak for Brentford. Thomas Frank’s ploy of defending with 10 and hoping for a breakaway strike had disrupted the champions who appeared bereft of ideas. But then came the hosts’ sheer quality in a lightning sequence that had Rúben Dias finding Rodri near their area. He passed to Julián Álvarez whose ball landed at the thus-far ineffective Erling Haaland. Not now, though, because as he raced in, Kristoffer Ajer slipped and the lethal 23-year-old beat Mark Flekken to the goalkeeper’s right from inside the D.
Game over, despite Flekken’s appearance in City’s area at a 95th-minute corner. Haaland’s winner, which means he has scored against all 21 Premier League teams he has faced, moves City to a point behind Liverpool and makes their trip to Anfield on 10 March a seismic clash that hands the victor total control of their destiny. Strap yourself in for that one.
Written by Jamie Jackson at the Etihad Stadium
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/feb/20/haaland-strikes-against-brentford-as-city-move-to-within-a-point-of-leaders under the title “Haaland punishes Brentford slip to move Manchester City a point off top”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
