Erling Haaland scored his ninth Premier League goal of the season to earn Manchester City a laboured 1-0 victory at Brentford on Sunday.
The Norwegian muscled through to finish in style in the ninth minute to continue his impressive start to the season as City extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to seven.
It should have been far more comfortable for Pep Guardiola's side though and they were dealt a potentially significant blow when midfielder Rodri went off injured in the first half.
Haaland netted early in the first half in west London to give City a third win in their last four Premier League games.
The peerless 25-year-old already has 12 goals in nine appearances in all competitions this season, plus six in two matches for Norway, with Tottenham the only team to stop him scoring in the current campaign.
Thanks largely to Haaland, City survived a second half dip.
City still trail leaders Arsenal by three points but they go into the international break with renewed impetus after a slow start to the season.
The only concern for Guardiola was the sight of Rodri being forced off with a first-half injury after appearing to damage his hamstring.
The Spain midfielder has struggled to finish games since coming back at the Club World Cup in the summer following anterior cruciate ligament surgery.
Brentford showed more aggression after the break though and almost stunned City with an equaliser out of nothing.
A punt forward was not dealt with by City's defence and Thiago was clean through but never really looked in complete control and his tame effort was saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Michael Kayode headed a half-chance over the bar for the hosts and as the minutes ticked down Guardiola looked increasingly agitated on the touchline as Brentford's direct style caused jitters in his defence.
City's hearts were in their mouths in the 90th minute when Donnarumma's clearance was charged down by Kevin Schade and the rebound went narrowly wide of the post.
Meanwhile, Newcastle United beat Nottingham Forest 2-0 to heap more pressure on Ange Postecoglou while Crystal Palace's club-record unbeaten run came to an end with defeat at Everton.
Bottom side Wolverhampton Wanderers were denied their first win of the season when Brighton & Hove Albion scored a late equaliser in a 1-1 draw at Molineux.
But it was Postecoglou who found himself under fire after Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimaraes curled a long-range strike into the top corner before earning the penalty put away by German striker Nick Woltemade.
Postecoglou has yet to win a game since taking over at Forest last month, a run of seven games in all competitions that includes five defeats - the worst start by a Forest manager in a century.
"I knew it was a big challenge walking in, there is nothing wrong with that. I don't get why people think it is a burden but I love a challenge. The alternative is sitting at home watching the game and I don't want to do that," Postecoglou told the BBC.
"We just have to get the results now and we have two weeks to get it right. If people want to assess me three-and-a-half weeks in there is nothing I can say that will change that."
