Haaland fires Man City to win at Brentford

London, Oct. 7: Erling Haaland carried Manchester City to within three points of Premier League leaders Arsenal with the only goal at Brentford, while Crystal Palace'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's long ball and fire home on nine minutes.

Victory came at a cost for Pep Guardiola'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'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.

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's finish from Ismaila Sarr's pass.

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's attempted clearance rebounded off the Manchester City loanee into the roof of the net. Ange Postecoglou's wait for a first win as Nottingham Forest manager goes on after a 2-0 defeat at Newcastle.

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.

Sevilla stun Barcelona 

Lamine Yamal was out injured, Robert Lewandowski missed a potential equalizing penalty kick and Barcelona lost its second straight match with a disheartening 4-1 defeat at Sevilla in the Spanish league on Sunday.

Combined with a midweek loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, Barcelona is not entering the international break in a positive mood.

The result also meant that Real Madrid remained atop the standings, two points ahead of previously unbeaten Barcelona. Madrid beat Villarreal 3-1 on Saturday.

Sevilla, which beat Barcelona in La Liga for the first time in a decade, is sixth. Yamal aggravated an injury in his groin area against PSG and will be sidelined for two to three weeks.

Alejandro Balde earned a penalty for Barcelona in the 74th but Lewandowski shot wide left from the spot after two stutter steps as he saw Sevilla goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos move where he was aiming. Isaac Romero scored one goal and earned another for Sevilla as Barcelona struggled early on in 33-degree heat (more than 90 Fahrenheit). Romero was fouled by Ronaldo Araujo to set up a penalty that former Barcelona winger Alexis Sanchez converted 13 minutes in.

Romero then finished off a counterattack in the 36th to double the advantage after Barcelona defender Jules Koundé was stripped of the ball.

Marcus Rashford pulled one back shortly before the break, using one touch to redirect a cross from Pedri by the far post for his first La Liga goal since joining Barcelona on loan in July.

After Lewandowski's miss, Jose Angel Carmona finished off a counterattack with a long, angled shot past an outstretched Wojciech Szczesny in the 89th. Akor Adams added another six minutes into stoppage time. Atletico Madrid was held to a 1-1 draw at winless Celta Vigo. Atletico went ahead early on an own-goal from Carl Starfelt.

But then Atletico defender Clement Lenglet picked up his second yellow card shortly before halftime for a foolish foul from behind far from the goal, and Iago Aspas equalized for Celta Vigo in the 68th. Atletico is in fifth place.  (AFP/AP)