Three things we learned – Brentford 0-1 Manchester City

Erling Haaland’s early objective was sufficient for Manchester Metropolis to beat Brentford and head into the second worldwide break of the season three factors off the highest of the Premier League.

The 25-year-old’s ninth minute objective got here after he outmuscled Sepp van de Berg following an extended ball ahead and manoeuvred the ball onto his left foot, earlier than firing into the underside left nook for his 18th objective this season for membership and nation.

But it surely wasn’t all good for Metropolis. The second half was considerably worse than the primary, with goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma bailing the Blues out with a wonderful one vs one save from Brentford striker Igor Thiago, and Rodri being changed with what seems to be a hamstring damage within the first half.

Listed below are three issues we discovered from victory in London:Rodri was certainly rushed again too rapidly

I used to be calling this after the midweek recreation when Rodri was hauled off on 60 minutes trying each exhausted and disheartened – he’s been requested to do an excessive amount of too rapidly with reference to taking part in after his damage.

The Spaniard tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) simply over a yr in the past, lacking virtually the whole thing of final season.

He’s now suffered two damage setbacks – one on the Membership World Cup, and one yesterday, each of which had been in his hamstring.

Rodri additionally missed the 5-1 win at dwelling to Burnley final week, on account of ache in the identical knee he injured final yr. He began simply 4 days later in opposition to Monaco after which once more in opposition to Brentford, earlier than coming off earlier than half time after clutching the again of his leg.

I do know it’s troublesome to inform an formidable, aggressive warrior like Rodri to take a again seat when he needs to assist the workforce, however Pep Guardiola and the medical employees want to tug rank.

Nico Gonzalez is doing an excellent job deputising for him, which means there’s no motive in any respect for the 29-year-old to be compelled in as typically as he’s.

Fortunately, Rodri mentioned after the sport that he doesn’t suppose it’s too severe, and while he says he’ll miss worldwide responsibility with Spain he’s hoping to be match for the sport in opposition to Everton in just below two weeks time.

Hopefully this will likely be nothing greater than a significant scare, however it signifies that Metropolis have to take higher care of the 2024 Ballon D’or winner earlier than his profession on the very high degree withers away earlier than him.

Metropolis should enhance throughout 90 minutes

Yesterday’s recreation confirmed that Metropolis are, for my part, not again to their greatest or fairly able to launch a correct title problem of their present state.

They haven’t performed an excellent, dominant full 90 minutes this season within the Premier League because the opening day in opposition to Wolves. In opposition to Brighton, Brentford and to a lesser extent Manchester United, they tailed off within the second half.

They had been made to pay in opposition to the Seagulls, and had been maybe lucky to return away with a win in opposition to Brentford. And even United had an enormous likelihood excellently saved by Donnarumma with the rating at 2-0; had that gone it, it might probably have been a unique outcome.

In opposition to Burnley that they had a poor thirty minutes in the midst of the sport, while the Tottenham match was actually lacklustre from starting to finish.

The Brentford recreation I believe was largely all the way down to the house aspect’s enchancment at half time. It’s simple that Metropolis had been crisper and extra threatening within the first half, however the Bees had been actually timid and wasteful each time that they had the ball.

However within the second interval they performed menacing lengthy balls ahead to pin Metropolis again, bought into harmful large positions and received the ball again a lot faster than they did within the first half.

Although it’s essential to notice to Metropolis’s credit score that apart from Thiago’s likelihood, Brentford didn’t actually have any notable scoring alternatives.

Matheus Nunes, Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol and Nico O’Reilly all had wonderful video games, and stored Keith Andrews’ aspect at bay. After they had been breached, Donnarumma was there, secure and dependable as ever.

However in opposition to stronger opposition they most likely would’ve been breached extra typically and drawn or misplaced, and that’s the place Metropolis want to enhance in an effort to get again to their very best once more.

We now have a match successful goalkeeper

Constructing on from what was mentioned above, Donnarumma can now be one of some gamers who can win a recreation for Metropolis, together with Haaland, Rodri and Phil Foden on his day.

The 26-year-old’s signing was initially controversial, with many Metropolis followers – myself included – doubtful that he’d truly make a lot of a distinction on account of his lack of capability on the ball.

With the best of respect to Joe Hart and Ederson, who had been unbelievable servants for Metropolis and contributed significantly to many trophies, Donnarumma appears to be up one other degree from them along with his shot stopping, presence and management of his penalty field.

Thiago ought to’ve scored the prospect he had, however the Italian did the whole lot proper to place him off; stayed huge, waited for a dodgy contact, then quickly closed down the angle and pounced at his toes, deflecting the ball away along with his chest.

It’s secure to say Donnarumma has had an unbelievable begin at Metropolis, coming in to be the most effective goalkeeper within the league and even permitting Metropolis to concede a couple of extra probabilities, realizing they’ve bought a particularly dependable pair of fingers behind the defence.