City come from behind to beat Brentford
Erling Haaland scored both goals as Manchester City came from behind to beat Brentford, who went ahead after just 23 seconds.
The Bees made a dream start, with Yoane Wissa putting them ahead – but he later went off injured.
Kristoffer Ajer looped in a cross from the right, Keane Lewis-Potter headed back across goal and Wissa capitalised on a mess between John Stones and Edersen by nodding in from close range.
And with the champions all over the place at the back, Brentford had chances to double their lead inside the opening 10 minutes – Bryan Mbeumo found himself in on goal but was denied by keeper Edersen, who also kept out Nathan Collins’ header.
City were struggling but equalised out of nothing when Brentford managed to shut down Kevin de Bruyne only for the loose ball to fall to Haaland, who clinically fired into the far corner.
Haaland then put the hosts ahead, nudging aside Ethan Pinnock to collect Edersen’s long kick and then coolly dinking the ball over keeper Mark Flekken.
Brentford suffered another setback when Wissa had to be taken off just before half-time following a crunching challenge from former Chelsea man Mateo Kovacic.
They still worried City at times in the second half but were unable to find an equaliser.
At the other end, Flekken produced saves to deny Haaland and Jack Grealish before Haaland’s late strike hit the post.
Brentford: Flekken, Ajer (Roerslev 72), Collins, Pinnock, Van den Berg, Janelt (Carvalho 72), Norgaard, Damsgaard (Yarmoliuk 84), Lewis-Potter, Mbeumo, Wissa (Schade 45).
Subs not used: Valdimarsson, Mee, Meghoma, Konak, Trevitt.
