<figure id="attachment_3176034" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3176034" style="width: 1600px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-3176034" src="https://media.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/068d9b77-erling-haaland.jpg" alt="Erling Haaland" width="1600" height="1000" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-3176034" class="wp-caption-text">Manchester City’s Erling Haaland loses his markers to score the winner against Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium. (AP pic)</figcaption></figure>
LONDON: Erling Haaland carried Manchester City to within three points of Premier League leaders Arsenal with the only goal at Brentford, while Crystal Palace&#8217;s 19-game unbeaten run was ended by a 2-1 defeat to Everton on Sunday.
The Norwegian maintained his sensational early season form to score his 18th goal for club and country in just 11 appearances this season.
Haaland showed his strength to bully his way through the Brentford defence from Josko Gvardiol&#8217;s long ball and fire home on nine minutes.
Victory came at a cost for Pep Guardiola&#8217;s men as Rodri was forced off in his latest injury setback since returning from an anterior cruciate ligament tear that saw him miss most of last season.
The 2024 Ballon d&#8217;Or winner was in tears when he had to be replaced with an apparent hamstring problem midway through the first half.
Despite a less than sparkling performance, City held out to haul themselves up to fifth and right back into the title race.
Everton end Palace run
Palace missed the chance to go second after suffering a European hangover at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
The Eagles were dominant in the first 45 minutes but were left to rue not adding to Daniel Munoz&#8217;s finish from Ismaila Sarr&#8217;s pass.
However, their Uefa Conference League exertions in winning away to Dynamo Kyiv on Thursday took their toll in the second half.
Iliman Ndiaye equalised from the penalty spot after Maxence Lacroix clumsily upended Beto as Everton fought back to avoid a first defeat at their new home.
Jack Grealish then got fortunate for his first Everton goal as Munoz&#8217;s attempted clearance rebounded off the Manchester City loanee into the roof of the net.
&#8220;I thought Crystal Palace should have been out of sight, they should have been 3-0 up, but we stuck at it,&#8221; said Everton boss David Moyes.
Ange Postecoglou&#8217;s wait for a first win as Nottingham Forest manager goes on after a 2-0 defeat at Newcastle.
The Australian is the first Forest boss in over 100 years to fail to win in his first seven games and now faces an anxious wait to see if club owner Evangelos Marinakis decides to make another managerial change over the international break.
&#8220;I knew it was a big challenge walking in. That&#8217;s what it is and there&#8217;s nothing wrong with that,&#8221; said Postecoglou.
Newcastle had only won one of their opening six Premier League games.
But Bruno Guimaraes led the Magpies to victory with a brilliant strike from outside the box to break the deadlock on 58 minutes.
Guimaraes then won a penalty after robbing former team-mate Elliot Anderson inside the Forest box.
Nick Woltemade smashed the resulting spot-kick into the top corner for his fourth Newcastle goal since joining from Stuttgart last month.
Forest slip to 17th, the same league position that saw Postecoglou sacked by Tottenham at the end of last season despite winning the Europa League.
After a slow start to the season, Aston Villa beat Burnley 2-1 to secure a fourth win in the last 11 days.
Donyell Malen was the Villa match-winner with his first goals since April.
The Dutch forward opened the scoring after racing onto Boubacar Kamara&#8217;s brilliant through ball to slot into the far corner.
Morgan Rogers was the creator for the second that Malen controlled before drilling confidently into the far corner.
Lesley Ugochukwu pulled a goal back but Burnley remain in the relegation zone.
Wolves are still rooted to the foot of the table after conceding a late equaliser to draw 1-1 at home to Brighton.

MatchPoint Times

Haaland lifts City at Brentford, Everton end Palace’s unbeaten run

The 1-0 win moves Pep Guardiola’s side to within three points of leaders Arsenal, while Palace’s 19-game run ends in a 2-1 defeat.

Spain says Israel to free last Spanish Gaza flotilla members

EU parliament divisions laid bare by von der Leyen vote