Manchester City star Erling Haaland broke yet another Premier League record in his side’s 2-1 win over Brentford.
At the Etihad Stadium, Brentford took an unexpected lead in the first minute through Yoane Wissa, echoing City’s earlier concession against Ipswich in the opening moments of their previous Premier League match.
However, as in the Ipswich game, Pep Guardiola’s team quickly mounted a comeback. Erling Haaland scored twice, once before and once after halftime, securing a fourth consecutive win of the season for City.
Although Haaland fell short of becoming the first player to score three straight hat-tricks in English top-flight history, he set a Premier League record by scoring nine goals in the first four games of the season, surpassing any previous record.
Remarkably, by the end of the match, Haaland had netted more goals individually this season than any entire Premier League team combined.
Despite being granted compassionate leave due to the passing of a close family friend, Haaland chose to play against Brentford.
After the match, Guardiola commented to BBC Sport, “It was a tough week for him, but yesterday was a bit better, and we tried to support him. Sometimes, focusing on your work can be the best way to cope, and he did that excellently.”
City teammate Jack Grealish praised Haaland on the club’s official website, saying, “I can’t speak highly enough of him. Despite the difficult week he and his family have faced, he came out, performed brilliantly, and scored two goals. It’s a testament to his character and mental strength, and I’m sure his family would be proud of his performance.”