Erling Haaland rescued Manchester City from an early setback as Pep Guardiola’s side retained their 100 per cent Premier League record.
City were rocked when Yoane Wissa fired the visitors ahead in the opening minute but Haaland struck twice before the interval to take his tally to nine goals in four matches this season.
It’s the best start to a campaign for any individual player since the league was founded in 1992 but the Norwegian’s bid to score a third consecutive hat-trick was then thwarted by Bees ‘keeper Mark Flekken and the woodwork.
Brentford were the last visiting team to win at the Etihad almost two years ago and after 22 seconds the Londoners were up to their old tricks again.
The stadium has finished a tribute former manager Sven Goran Eriksson when the Londoners poured forward at kick off.
Erling Haaland scored twice as Manchester City came from behind to beat Brentford
Haaland levelled the scores midway through the first half with a neat finish on the turn
The striker then went through on goal and dinked it over the keeper to put his side in front
The champions made it four wins from four as they continued their early season dominance
Kristoffer Ajer crossed to the far post where Keane Lewis-Potter headed back into the danger area.
Ederson and John Stones got in each other’s way, the ball ballooning off Stones’ boot onto the goalkeeper’s gloves and up for Wissa to prod home.
Pep Guardiola muttered furiously on the touchline and his mood nearly darkened even further as Brentford remarkably threatened a second.
A last-ditch tackled from Rico Lewis denied Wissa again. Ederson saved Nathan Collins’ header on the line and Bryan Mbuemo then went close to connecting with an overhead kick.
All the talk around Manchester last week was about the financial hearing due to start on Monday in which City are defending 115 charges of allegedly breaching Premier League rules.
But early events at the Etihad concentrated the mind of football and Erling Haaland, still mourning the death of close family friend Ivar Eggja, took centre stage.
He’d only touched the ball once before levelling after 19 minutes.
Kyle Walker advanced and squared to De Bruyne in the box. The Belgian threaded a ball to Haaland which reached the Norwegian despite the attentions of Christian Norgaard and Nathan Collins.
The result was inevitable. Haaland turned and crashed a thumping right foot finish which would have beaten Flekken even without the little nick it took off Ethan Pinnock’s heel.
Yoane Wissa stunned the home crowd when he nodded home a rebound in the first minute
Wissa celebrates with his team-mates after breaking the deadlock in just 22 seconds
Haaland then put City in front after 32 minutes. Ederson’s long pass saw the striker in a race with Pinnock, the pair bumping backs to leave the Norwegian clear to cooly dink the oncoming Flekken.
Brentford gathered around referee Darren Bond to protest a foul but VAR saw no reason to intervene.
The visitors suffered a blow when Wissa limped off at the end of the first half after being caught on the ankle by Mateo Kovacic, who was booked.
Guardiola made two changes at the interval with Rodri introduced for his first action since winning the Euros with Spain.
Rodri helped City keep control in a way they lacked during the opening 45 minutes.
For most of the stadium, the sub-plot was whether Haaland could go on and become the first player since 1946 to score three consecutive hat-tricks in the top flight of English football.
He certainly tried his hardest. Flekken, who also saved from Jack Grealish and Savinho, tipped over Haaland’s shot from Ilkay Gundogan’s pass.
The striker then looked anguished as he thumped De Bruyne’s cutback against the upright from eight yards and saw his follow-up blocked by Collins.
It was a shame for the No9 whose City record is now an incredible 99 goals from 103 matches. The consolation is his team are now the only Premier League team not to have dropped any points and heading to fifth consecutive league title, independent commissions notwithstanding.