Haaland comes to the rescue for Man City with second-half goal in 1-0 win over Brentford

Julian Alvarez delivered a precise pass, allowing Haaland to break free and outpace center back Kristoffer Ajer, who stumbled.

Finding himself one-on-one with Mark Flekken, Haaland seized the opportunity, taking an early shot and slotting a low finish to the right of the Dutch goalkeeper for his 17th goal of the season, leading the league.

Out of the 21 teams Haaland has encountered since joining the Premier League last season, Brentford was the sole team he had not scored against.

That has changed now.

"He is truly exceptional," remarked Oscar Bobb, Haaland's teammate from City and Norway, who earned his first Premier League start on Tuesday.

Oscar Bobb, Haaland’s City and Norway teammate, praised him as the best in the world.

The defending champions secured a narrow victory, moving into second place in the standings, just one point above Arsenal and one behind Liverpool.

All three title contenders have completed 25 out of 38 games. Liverpool will face Luton on Wednesday. City's unbeaten streak since December 6 has reached 16 matches, with 14 wins and 2 draws.

Guardiola's team is progressing in the FA Cup and is in a good position to advance to the Champions League quarterfinals after a 3-1 victory over FC Copenhagen in the round of 16.

Guardiola hinted at the possibility of another treble of major trophies for the European champions, praising the players for their incredible performances over the years.

Despite struggling to break down Brentford's defense, City managed to secure a win with Haaland scoring the decisive goal.

Manuel Akanji emphasized the need for continuous improvement, stating that the team must progress game by game. Kevin De Bruyne, City's playmaker, was an unused substitute in the match.