Man City 2-0 Brentford: Goals in each half enough as City swat aside brave Bees

Mahrez scored his seventh Premier League goal this season

Riyad Mahrez extended his scoring streak to eight in seven games after Manchester City moved 12 points clear at the top of the Premier League by beating Brentford.

Kevin de Bruyne doubled City's lead after 69 minutes when he finished off the rebound after Raya had rolled the ball straight to Sterling on the edge of the area, then denied the England man with a save he could not hold.

The result keeps Pep Guardiola's side in charge of the title race, even though second-placed Liverpool do have two games in hand.

For Brentford, who did not include new signing Christian Eriksen even though the Dane started training with them this week after signing an 18-month contract, the harsh realities of life in the top flight are beginning to become evident.

Thomas Frank's men have now lost six in a row in all competitions for the first time since 2006. Then, Oldham and Cheltenham were among the teams who beat them when they were in League One.

Now it's Liverpool, Manchester United and defending champions City.

Stones slots in at right-back

Guardiola has sprung so many selection surprises down the years, nothing is too much of a shock.

This time it was naming three central defenders and no orthodox right-back, even though England's Kyle Walker was on the bench.

John Stones got the job. While it did seem for a while as though his role was to alternate between a back four and a three-man central defence, depending upon whether City had the ball or not, it became apparent it was more technical than that.

He could be wide on the right touchline, further inside or threatening the box, mirroring what Joao Cancelo was doing on the other side.

Stones also curled crosses in from roughly the same position De Bruyne has earned such praise for doing so.

City's fluidity was so far removed from the old-school English tactics of the past and when another defender, Aymeric Laporte, controlled the ball on his chest and rolled a shot narrowly wide of the far post, it felt like a throwback to the 1970s golden era and 'Total Football' under Netherlands coach Rinus Michels.

Cancelo flashed a shot over just after half-time and then went on a slalom-like journey though the Brentford box before firing straight at Raya.

It merely underlined the flexible nature of a City side that ended with £100m man Jack Grealish at centre-forward after coming off the bench.

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Stumbling Brentford

Brentford limited City to a single shot in the first half hour, which was testament to their workrate.

Had Rico Henry taken the clear chance to equalise he was presented with just before the break, the overall outcome might have been different.

But, despite the industry of Frank Onyeka in midfield and the speed of Sergi Canos out wide, Brentford lack the class to compete against opposition like this.

Eriksen has that, clearly, and also the belief he can return to something like his old self.

As the defeats mount up and key home games against Crystal Palace and Newcastle loom before the end of the month, Brentford are certainly in need of a lift.

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