Man City v Brentford LIVE: Premier League result as Erling Haaland goal sends City a point off the top

As Erling Haaland completed the set, Manchester City may have got back on track. Their bid for a historic fourth consecutive title threatened to be derailed in four days, the loss of four points in successive home games beckoning.

Enter Haaland. He had scored against 20 of the 21 opponents he had faced in the Premier League. Only Brentford had denied him, just as Brentford frustrated City for 70 minutes here. But, 10 days earlier, Everton held out for 70 minutes at the Etihad Stadium, too, conceded to Haaland in the 71^st and lost. To the annoyance of City’s title rivals, history repeated itself.

There was a nod to the more distant past, too, to another three-way battle at the top a decade ago. Kristoffer Ajer’s costly loss of balance will not be the most famous slip in a title race – Steven Gerrard still boasts that dubious honour – but City emerged triumphant in 2014. If they do so again in 2024, they may thank a Norwegian besides their top scorer: the luckless Brentford defender.

Full report from Richard Jolly at the Etihad Stadium:

Erling Haaland completed the set this evening

And that’s it! Not hugely convincing from City but they scrape an all-important 1-0 win thanks to Erling Haaland’s neat finish late on. They’re up to second in the Premier League table, just one point behind Liverpool.

90+6 mins: Goalkeeper Flekken up for the corner. It almost falls to him second time round and he takes a wild swing at the ball but half-volleys Rodri instead as the City midfielder gets there first. A yellow card for Flekken and that should be just about that.

90+5 mins: Long throw by Brentford as they search for an equaliser and Haaland heads it behind for a corner

90+3 mins: Foden again in space down the left, twisting Zanka with a little stepover, cuts back to Haaland around the penalty spot but his shot is weak and straight at Flekken.

90+2 mins: Foden looks like he has to score. Nicks the ball away, drives forward at pace into the box, takes the ball past Flekken and looks set to slide it into the net but Flekken at full stretch is able to push the ball wide. He didn’t over-commit, forced Foden wide and got his reward

90 mins: Into six minutes of added time. City seeing this out comfortably

89 mins: Flekken again called into action. Foden sees space open up in front of him, thumps one at goal and Flekken leaps to tip over the bar.

Some final subs as Roerslev and Onyeka off for Brentford, with Mikkel Damsgaard and Saman Ghoddos on, while Mateo Kovacic comes on for Alvarez.

87 mins: Doku jinks on the edge of the area looking for space, feeds Foden but the ball is nicked away from him. City mostly just stroking the ball about, refusing to give up possession and killing this game off.