Erling Haaland now has nine goals in Manchester City’s first four Premier League games, surpassing Wayne Rooney’s eight from 2011-12. In a thrilling display, his latest double claimed the three points and made it a maximum 12-from-12 for the champions.

The No.9’s goals came amid what appeared to be a subdued celebration following his loss last week to close family friend Ivar Eggja. Haaland has a staggering 99 in 103 in all competitions in City colours. With the club’s Premier League trial due to begin on Monday, there is no sign of their players being distracted.

City deny any wrongdoing, but Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, Ederson and Jack Grealish may have wondered how their magnificent performances would be affected if any of the 100-plus counts were proven. This victory over the last team to beat Pep Guardiola’s men in open play here, 45 home games ago (Real Madrid won on penalty shootout in April), began with a scare, though.

Forty seconds had passed when Thomas Frank’s men came onto the field, the ball went to the right and was lifted to the far post, Keane Lewis-Potter headed the ball down, John Stones miscued, Ederson made a bad move and Yoane Wissa slid in.

Guardiola responded with a twist of horror. A repeat of the move was almost in sight when porous City let Bryan Mbeumo in, but Rico Lewis blocked him as he was ready to shoot and now Frank, head in hands, felt despair.

City, in high spirits, pounded the visitors’ goal. Grealish was in old-school winger mode, driving down his left flank. De Bruyne began to find space. Corners were claimed down the right. The blue wave kept coming and, as so often happens, it broke through the opposition.

Mateo Kovacic passed the ball to Kyle Walker on the right, the defender passed it to De Bruyne, an attempted pass found Haaland and a right-footed shot was fired past Ethan Pinnock and Mark Flekken.

Scoring is simply – and admirably – what Haaland does. Rodri’s expertise in controlling a game is equally reliable, but watching from the bench he was missed as the Bees once again opened up a gap on City. This was down the hosts’ right, claiming a corner, but the champions escaped.

Not Brentford, moments later. This was route-one football, City/Guardiola style. Haaland surged forward from just inside his half when Ederson whipped a long ball into the middle third of Bees territory. A lovely barge cleared Pinnock, Haaland took one, two touches, then sandwedged delicately over Flekken.

Open at the back, City were operating at full tilt in attack. Grealish crossed for Ilkay Gundogan and Christian Nørgaard cut clear. Grealish had a volley from a corner blocked. Then Wissa hobbled clear after a foul from Kovacic, putting the Croatian’s name in Darren Bond’s book.

It was no surprise to see Rodri replace Kovacic for the second half, with Josko Gvardiol – for Lewis – joining the peerless midfielder. Yet a vulnerability remained as a miscued pass from Ederson threatened to lead to a Brentford equaliser.

No shot was forthcoming, however, and City were content to shorten the game. Then they woke up: Rodri found De Bruyne and a cross from the right drew a corner. The ball came to Savinho’s feet, but he fired wide.

In what became a compendium of attempts, there was a crafty Grealish curler that Flekken cleared and a Haaland right-footed rocket that the Dutchman tipped over. After Gvardiol sprinted inside, he squared up to Savinho and the Brazilian’s shot was, again, saved by the busy Flekken.

Haaland had narrowly failed to equal Liverpool’s Jack Balmer in 1946, the last player to take a hat-trick in three consecutive top-flight matches, but he struck Flekken’s right post.

But you wouldn’t assume that the phenomenon wouldn’t occur soon.