Brentford vs Manchester City Player Ratings – Haaland Fires, Rodri Worry Grows for Guardiola! | OneFootball

Manchester City’s pursuit of the Premier League summit stayed firmly on track as Erling Haaland’s solitary strike proved enough to overcome a stubborn Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium.

It wasn’t vintage City, nor was it straightforward. Yet it was quintessentially Guardiola – controlled, calculated, and ultimately effective. In a match that demanded resilience more than rhythm, they once again turned to their Nordic powerhouse to make the difference.

Haaland’s 9th-minute finish, his 94th in English football, settled the contest, a moment of devastating simplicity that separated precision from chaos. But City’s win came at a cost, with Rodri limping off midway through the first half, leaving Pep Guardiola with another midfield headache ahead of a demanding October schedule.

Brentford, for their part, were disciplined and combative but lacked cutting edge. They carried a late threat, particularly when substitute Kevin Schade pressed Gianluigi Donnarumma into a nervy mistake near the end, but City’s defensive shape held firm to secure their third consecutive clean sheet.

Brentford Player Ratings

Caoimhin Kelleher – 6

Produced a brilliant reflex save to deny Reijnders’ first-half volley and did little wrong for Haaland’s opener, which was struck with precision from close range. His distribution under pressure was occasionally suspect, but overall a solid showing.

Michael Kayode – 6.5

Energetic down the right flank, constantly looking to stretch City’s structure. Found it difficult to contain Savinho in transitions but defended his zone with discipline.

Kristoffer Ajer – 7

A composed presence at the back. Read the game intelligently, intercepting several dangerous passes. One of Brentford’s more assured performers.

Nathan Collins – 7

Battled Haaland physically and came out second best for the goal but recovered well thereafter with several important clearances.

Sepp van den Berg – 7

Outmuscled for City’s goal but was otherwise robust and vocal. His recovery runs helped prevent further damage.

Aaron Hickey – 6

Tidy in possession but often pinned deep by Bobb and Nunes’ rotations. Tried to support attacks but left space behind for City’s diagonal switches.

Jordan Henderson – 6.5

Led Brentford’s press intelligently in the first half and set the tempo from deep. Fatigued late on, struggling to maintain intensity as City controlled possession.

Yegor Yarmoliuk – 6

A willing runner in midfield, pressing City’s pivots, but faded as the game wore on. Offered limited creativity in possession.

Mikkel Damsgaard – 6

Looked bright in flashes and linked well with Thiago early on but couldn’t influence proceedings in the final third.

Kevin Schade – 5.5

Showed pace on the counter but lacked composure in key moments. His late block on Donnarumma nearly produced a fluke equaliser.

Igor Thiago – 6

Missed Brentford’s best chance early in the second half when Donnarumma denied him one-on-one. Worked tirelessly but had little service.

Janet Janelt – 4.5 – Struggled to impact midfield tempo after coming on.

Mathias Jensen – 5.5 – Added energy but couldn’t break City’s press.

Bryan Onyeka – 6 – Offered energy but no end product.

Dango Ouattara – 5.5 – Stretched play late on but lacked precision.

Fabio Carvalho – N/A

Manchester City Player Ratings

Gianluigi Donnarumma – 7/10

Rarely tested but delivered when it mattered. His reflex stop to deny Thiago early in the second half preserved City’s lead. A heart-stopping late error nearly cost his side, but the Italian redeemed himself with commanding handling thereafter.

Matheus Nunes – 6.5/10

Steady if unspectacular. Deputised again at right-back and kept his discipline defensively. Offered limited attacking threat but handled Damsgaard comfortably.

Rúben Dias – 7/10

City’s organiser-in-chief. Impeccable positioning and vocal leadership throughout. A commanding performance that ensured calm in the dying stages.

Josko Gvardiol – 7/10

Assisted Haaland’s opener with a line-splitting ball and defended aggressively in City’s high line. A lapse early in the second half nearly proved costly but otherwise assured.

Nico O’Reilly – 7.5/10

A standout in an unfamiliar left-back role. His delivery for Reijnders’ first-half volley was sublime, and his composure in tight spaces underlined his growing maturity.

Rodri – 6/10

Controlled early phases before injury struck midway through the first half. His absence was noticeable in City’s slightly disjointed second-half transitions.

Tijjani Reijnders – 7/10

Silky in possession, showing excellent control and vision. Went close with a thunderous first-half volley. Faded slightly before being replaced late on.

Phil Foden – 6.5/10

City’s creative spark in the opening exchanges, linking beautifully with Bobb and Haaland. Influence waned after the break as City settled into game management mode.

Oscar Bobb – 6.5/10

Lively on the ball and eager to create overloads. Found less space as Brentford sat deeper in the second half but continued to show tactical intelligence.

Savinho – 6/10

Showed flashes of his pace and trickery but lacked incision in the final third. A quieter performance following his contract extension.

Erling Haaland – 8.5/10

Clinical. Brutal. Inevitable. His hold-up play and movement were world-class, bullying van den Berg before finishing with ice-cold precision. Carried City’s attack almost singlehandedly and remains the most decisive player in the league.

Substitutes:

Nico González – 6.5/10 – Steady and composed after replacing Rodri, maintained City’s rhythm.

Jeremy Doku – 5.5/10 – Offered pace but little impact late on.

Bernardo Silva – 6/10 – Helped retain control in midfield during the final phase.

Man of the Match: Erling Haaland (Manchester City)

Another defining performance from the Norwegian, whose predatory instinct continues to underpin City’s title ambitions. His strike made the difference yet again – simple, ruthless, decisive.

Conclusion: City Grind, Haaland Delivers, Rodri a Concern

For Manchester City, this was a much-needed win. They weren’t at their fluid best but found the composure and control required to take all three points from a tricky fixture. Brentford made them work, pressing with discipline and seeking to exploit transitions, yet City’s experience told in the end.

The victory lifts Pep Guardiola’s side to fifth in the Premier League, just three points behind leaders Arsenal heading into the international break. However, concern lingers over Rodri’s fitness, an issue that could reshape City’s midfield balance in the coming weeks.

Brentford, meanwhile, can take heart from their resilience and organisation but will rue the lack of a cutting edge. City march on