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• Al-Riyadh 0-3 Al-Hilal: Mitrovic double sends hosts top

  Aleksandar Mitrovic scored twice late on to secure Al-Hilal a 3-0 win over Al-Riyadh, sending them top of the Saudi Pro League on Saturday.

  Salem Al-Dawsari orchestrated the victory though, scoring one and assisting both of Mitrovic's goals, while Marcos Leonardo was denied a strike of his own.

  Al-Hilal dominated the first half, managing 10 shots as they smothered the hosts, but they could not find a breakthrough, only testing Milan Borjan twice.

  Both sides moved through the gears in the second half though, with Ibrahim Bayesh rifling a powerful effort against the woodwork minutes after the break for the hosts.

  Al-Dawsari found a way through shortly after – he made a sensational run down the left before cutting inside and dinking a lovely shot over Borjan and in off the far post.

  Leonardo ran off the back of Al-Riyadh's defence and scored a chip of his own, only to have the goal ruled out as he started his run too early.

  Mitrovic made sure of the three points after 80 minutes as he slotted in from a tight angle and got his second in the 100th minute to round off a good day for Al-Hilal. 

  Data Debrief: Al-Dawsari steals the show

  After struggling to find their shooting boots in the first half, Al-Hilal can be thankful for their left-winger, who caused all sorts of problems for Al-Riyadh.

  He had the most touches in the opposition box (seven), and created the most chances (four), while only Ruben Neves (27) made more passes than him in the final third (22).

• 'I prefer to win that way', says Guardiola after battling Brentford triumph

  Pep Guardiola said he preferred Manchester City's win over Brentford as opposed to a more comfortable scoreline, confirming he is a big fan of Bees head coach Thomas Frank. 

  Erling Haaland's first-half brace ensured Guardiola's side maintained their perfect start to the season, but they had to come from behind to win 2-1 at the Etihad.

  Yoane Wissa's goal after 22 seconds handed Brentford a shock lead, with his strike the fastest ever scored in the Premier League against the reigning champions. 

  It was also the first time that City had ever conceded in the opening minute at home in the competition. 

  Frank's side were also the last to beat Guardiola's men on home soil in any competition, winning 2-1 in November 2022, with the Citizens now unbeaten in 46 at the Etihad in all competitions since (W39 D7). 

  "I am a big fan of Thomas Frank. I don't remember in eight or nine years having a team playing the way they played," Guardiola said.

  "We were lucky with the deflection because they deserved 1-0.

  "We struggled a lot to read when to shoot and press. We were lucky to find the goals, but in the second half we were better and probably deserved to score more goals.

  "We needed that to feel how difficult everything is, how difficult the Premier League is every game.

  "People say City are so strong, but the Premier League is so difficult. Today was the real proof.

  "I am a big fan of Brentford. They play long balls, but they have the ability to play as well.

  "I give a lot of credit to my players, from where we come from in the past, but to still be able to suffer. I prefer to win that way rather than four or five nil. We need that."

  City have now won back-to-back home games in the Premier League after conceding the opening goal for the first time since November 2019, while they are now unbeaten in their last eight matches (home and away) when conceding first in the competition (W7 D1).

  Brentford, meanwhile, have lost five of their seven meetings with City in the top flight - the joint-most defeats they have suffered against an opponent in the competition (alongside Liverpool & Newcastle).

  The Bees have now lost more Premier League away games (14) than any other side currently in the competition since the start of last season but provided the Citizens with a stern test of their title credentials. 

  While only managing an expected goals (xG) tally of 0.92 from their eight shots, Frank leaves the Etihad disappointed in the result, but proud of his side's performance.

  "Standing here I am a combination of extremely disappointed we didn't get something out of this game but on the other hand very proud," Frank said. 

  "The first 25 minutes was world class, we were better than Manchester City. Second half they were more on top and made it difficult.

  "A point would have been fair and not often teams can come here and say that.

  "You could say if we need to win here we needed to take more of the chances we had in the first half.

  "I respect Pep Guardiola very much and a lot of the reasons I do is because he made tactical changes at half-time, and then he is not too proud to put the ball down in the corner because they need to win. We must have done something right today.

  "This is a fantastic group to work with and we need to keep doing this."

• Manchester City 2-1 Brentford: Haaland brace seals comeback victory

  Erling Haaland continued his sensational start to the new Premier League season with a brace that helped Manchester City come from behind to beat Brentford 2-1 on Saturday.

  Haaland, the Premier League Player of the Month, had netted hat-tricks in his prior two appearances but had to settle for just the two goals at the Etihad Stadium, moving to 99 in City colours in all competitions.

  Yoane Wissa had stunned City in the first minute after capitalising on a defensive mix-up, but Haaland was not kept quiet for long.

  City’s master marksman had Pep Guardiola’s side back on terms in the 19th minute, before scoring what proved to be the winner before half-time.

  Haaland came close to completing another treble and bringing up his City ton, but the champions had to survive a nervy finish to preserve the Premier League’s only 100% record at the top of the table, with Brentford back in seventh place.

  Data Debrief: Haaland closing in City ton

  While the combination of the post and the palms of Mark Flekken stopped Haaland from netting his 100th City goal and a third consecutive hat-trick, you feel it is only a matter of time before the Norwegian achieves his landmark moment. 

  Haaland has now taken his tally to nine goals in the first four league games this season, the most of any player in the opening four matches of a Premier League campaign (overtaking Wayne Rooney in 2011-12 - eight in first four).

  It was also the Norwegian's 50th appearance for City at the Etihad. The striker has been directly involved in more home goals than any other Premier League player across all competitions since his home debut in August 2022 (70 – 59 goals and 11 assists).

  But Guardiola's side had to come from behind to secure the triumph, with Wissa's goal after 22 seconds was the fastest ever scored in the Premier League against the reigning champions, while it was the first time that City have ever conceded in the opening minute at home in the competition.