Manchester City 3 Brentford 0: City player ratings as City find their groove

First half.

The game was three minutes old when Manchester City had their first shot on target of the afternoon. A sweeping City counterattack saw Jeremy Doku picked out in acres of space on the left. Doku drove into the Brentford penalty area and found himself in a great position to shoot. Doku got a low strike in on goal which Brentford keeper Caoimhin Kelleher got down low to his left to keep out. A minute later Doku played in Nico O’Reilly, whose dangerous cutback from the left-hand touchline was cleared by the Brentford defence.

A long throw-in from Brentford right-back Michael Kayode caused concern for City in the eighth minute. Kayode took a throw-in from their right-hand side that Gianluigi Donnarumma came out to claim but got nowhere near the ball. The City defence eventually cleared the ball away from near the goal line after it richited off of Donnarumma, which was a cause for concern for Pep Guardiola’s side.

As the game ticked over the 15-minute mark, it was clear that Brentford were proving to be more than a handful. The visitors were the better team in the opening 15 minutes, and Gianluigi Donnarumma punched away a dangerous free kick from the left from Mathias Jensen, low down to his left in the 16th minute. City would have to lift if they were to get hold of a team that was showing why they were performing so well in the league this season.

Erling Haaland has three chances to break the deadlock.

Erling Haaland would head a Jeremy Doku cross over the bar in the 20th minute. Doku cut inside and put in a teasing ball into a dangerous area. Haaland had a free header from the penalty spot that went over the bar and didn’t test Brentford keeper Caoimhin Kelleher. It was a good chance for Haaland that was squandered.

Antoine Semenyo would create another chance for Erling Haaland in the 26th minute. Semenyo got to the byline on the right wing after beating two Brentford defenders to create space for himself to cross. Semenyo’s ball picked out Haaland who headed a good chance straight at Caoimhin Kelleher who collected the ball with ease.

Erling Haaland saw a great chance blocked by the Brentford defence two minutes later. Jeremy Doku, who was by far Manchester City’s most dangerous player on the pitch, drove past Michael Kayode on the left and picked out Haaland in a great position to shoot. Haaland fired a shot from six yards out at goal, which was goal-bound, but the Brentford defense blocked it, taking the sting out of Haaland’s shot, and Caoimhin Kelleher gathered the ball safely.

Manchester City were beginning to dominate possession and had dropped Brentford into their own area for a sustained period when Jeremy Doku won a free kick for City in a great position in the 38th minute. Unfortunately, Rayan Cherki’s free kick hit Erling Haaland and deflected away from goal, and the chance came to nothing for City.

Manchester City would need to go up a gear to break down a stubborn Brentford outfit.

As the whistle blew for halftime, the game went into the interval at nil-all. After Brentford’s bright opening 15 minutes, Manchester City dominated the remainder of the first half. Jeremy Doku was giving Brentford right-back Michael Kayode a torrid time on the left wing, and he was seemingly Manchester City’s best route to finding a breakthrough. City weren’t poor by any stretch in the first half, far from it. However, they were struggling to break down Brentford’s packed defence throughout the first half.

Second half.

Manchester City began the second half brightly and Rayan Cherki almost opened the scoring in the 47th minute. Jeremy Doku played a ball from the left to Cherki who was just inside the Brentford penalty area. Cherki tried to beat Caoimhin Kelleher at his near post and he almost succeeded. However, his low shot went inches wide of the post with Kelleher scrambling.

Gianluigi Donnarumma would keep the score at nil-all in the 55th minute when he kept out Brentford striker Igor Thiago’s shot. Thiago was played in behind the City defence by a quality through ball from Michael Kayode. Igor Thiago only had Donnarumma to beat but his shot was too close to the Italian goalkeeper and he produced a good save to deny Brentford the first goal of the match.

JEREMY DOKU FIRES MANCHESTER CITY INTO THE LEAD!!!!!

Manchester City would take the lead in the 60th minute. Bernardo Silva played a short corner to Jeremy Doku who attempted to play the ball back to Bernardo Silva. Doku’s ball ricocheted off of a Brentford defender and came back to the Belgian winger. Doku got himself into a good position on the left-hand side of the Brentford penalty area. Jeremy Doku unleashed a curling right-footed shot into the top corner that left Brentford keeper Caoimhin Kelleher diving at thin air to give Manchester City the lead. It was Jeremy Doku’s third superb goal of the week and it came at exactly the right time for Pep Guardiola’s side.

Phil Foden would be denied by Caoimhin Kelleher in the 67th minute. Jeremy Doku once again pinned and teased the Brentford defence, and Doku’s ingenuity created an opening for his team. Foden seized on the ball in the Brentford area and got a shot in on goal from a tight angle. However, Kelleher got down quickly to keep out Foden’s shot with a smart save to prevent Manchester City from taking a 2-0 lead.

Brentford would have a shout for a penalty in the 71st minute. Dango Ouattara played a nice through ball to Igor Thiago behind the City defence. Thiago got to the ball and cut it back into the path of Kevin Schade. Schade fell to the floor under pressure from Matheus Nunes. However, the referee waved play on and after a VAR check, the visitors were not given a spot kick. That did seem to be the right decision by the referee and VAR.

Erling Haaland doubles Manchester City’s lead!!!!

Manchester City took a 2-0 lead in the 75th minute. Antoine Semenyo burst down the right wing and played a ball that was deflected by the Brentford defence into Erling Haaland’s path in the six-yard box. Haaland produced a scruffy back-heel finish to beat Caoimhin Kelleher and give his team a valuable 2-0 lead. It wasn’t the most beautiful goal you’ll ever see, but it was priceless to Pep Guardiola’s side.

With ten minutes plus stoppage time left to play, it appeared that Erling Haaland’s goal had taken the life out of Brentford. In the 82nd minute, Jeremy Doku once again created a chance from the left for Phil Foden. Doku’s cutback found Foden, who produced an elaborate flick on goal at the near post from five yards out. Caoimhin Kelleher produced a stunning save to deny Foden a lovely goal.

Omar grabs a goal to complete a good day for Pep Guardiola’s side.

Omar Marmoush would give City a 3-0 lead in the second minute of second half stoppage time. Savinho picked uo the ball on the left wing in acres of space and he played a good ball to Erling Haaland just outside the Brentford area. Haaland played a clever through ball to Marmoush and the Egyptian international beat Caoimhin Kelleher with a great and composed right-footed finish to give City a 3-0 lead. It was a great team goal for Pep Guardiola’s side and it rounded off a great afternoon for City.

Gianluigi Donnarumma tipped an Igor Thiago header onto the crossbar a minute later to preserve his clean sheet. Donnarumma’s save was a quality one to deny Brentford a late consolation goal.

Donnarumma’s save would be the final significant moment of the match. Manchester City picked up a well-deserved 3-0 win in a match that they dominated after a tough opening 15 minutes. Jeremy Doku was the standout performer of the day, and City’s win sees them move within two points of Arsenal who sit top of the Premier League. City’s title chase remains on as they shifted the pressure onto Mikel Arteta’s side who face West Ham at the London Stadium tomorrow.

City player ratings.

Gianluigi Donnarumma-7/10: After flapping at an early throw-in, Donnarumma was solid in goal after that. He made one crucial save to prevent Brentford from taking the lead and another late on to preserve his teams’ clean sheet.

**Matheus Nunes-7/10:**A good and solid performance at right-back from Nunes. Defended well, and went about his work with minimal fuss.

**Marc Guehi-7.5/10:**I really enjoyed Guehi’s performance. He was strong defensively, and good in possession.

**Nathan Ake-8/10:**A superb and composed performance at the back from Ake.

Nico O’Reilly-7/10: O’Reilly was good on both sides of the ball and his combination play with Jeremy Doku on the left was a constant threat to Brentford.

Bernardo Silva-7.5/10: Another captain’s performance from Bernardo. He controlled the midfield superbly well and did everything for his team.

**Tijjani Reijnders-5.5/10:**Reijnders started the game brightly but he drifted out of it before being taken off

Antoine Semenyo-7.5/10: While most of Manchester City’s attacking play came down the left, Semenyo did offer a constant threat on the right wing. It was Semenyo’s ball that set up Haaland’s goal and was a fitting reward for Semenyo’s performance.

Rayan Cherki-6/10: The French international wasn’t at his best in the first half but he did get better as the match wore on. He started the second half brightly but was guilty of taking too many touches and was taken off before the hour-mark.

**Jeremy Doku-10/10:**An absolutely mesmerizing and brilliant performance from Doku. He opened the scoring with a stunning goal and he tormented Michael Kayode and the Brentford defence all afternoon. Doku has clearly gone up a level as a player this season.

**Erling Haaland-8/10:**Haaland grabbed a goal and provided an assist in a strong performance from Manchester City’s number nine.

Substitutes.

**Omar Marmoush-7/10:**Marmoush was lively after coming on and grabbed a goal with a quality finish.

**Phil Foden-7/10:**Foden showed plenty after coming on in the second half. His touch looks back and the signs are promising that he is getting his form and touch back.

Savinho-N/A: Not on long enough to mark.