Haaland continues to carry Man City
The Premier League title race this season is heating up, and Erling Haaland has once again become the focus as he could be the one to help Manchester City beat Arsenal to take the top spot at the end of the season.
The Norwegian striker has become an irreplaceable factor in the system of coach Pep Guardiola. His influence is so great that many people have started to compare Haaland with Lionel Messi at Barcelona and Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid. These are all players who are capable of maintaining their top form, avoiding injuries and carrying the team on the shoulder in the journey to conquer the title.
The question is can Haaland take Man City to glory like Messi and Ronaldo did?
When every goal of Man City carries Haaland's mark
In the recent 3-1 win over Bournemouth, Haaland shined again with a double. The Citizens are currently only 6 points behind leaders Arsenal.
It is worth mentioning that Guardiola's team is having a not-so-smooth start, having suffered 3 defeats since the beginning of the season. However, with Haaland's increasingly stable form, Man City is still considered a leading candidate for the championship, especially when the new season is only entering the acceleration phase.
However, Man City's position in the rankings seems to depend a lot on Haaland - who brings the difference with his extraordinary scoring ability.
Bournemouth winger David Brooks admitted he felt helpless when facing the Norwegian striker, after seeing him accelerate past the defense twice to score a double.
"The big player up front of them - Haaland - is always a threat. It was almost impossible to prepare to face him. Haaland is nearly 1m95 tall, very strong and dangerous every time the ball comes to his feet. He took full advantage of his opportunity, Brooks said.
Haaland's two first-half goals against Andoni Iraola's side laid the groundwork for City's 3-1 win. Thanks to that, he has increased his Premier League goals this season to 11, five more than the chasing group of Igor Thiago, Danny Welbeck, Antoine Semenyo and Jean- Philippe Mateta in the Golden Boot race.
It is worth noting how much Man City depend on Haaland's goals. Their second top scorer in the Premier League this season has been Maxime Esteve, a Burnley defender who returned home twice in a 1-5 defeat to City at the Etihad in September.
Of course, it would be unfair to call Guardiola's Man City a one-man team. Their squad is still full of world-class champions. However, it is undeniable that if Haaland is absent, it is difficult to imagine City being able to compete fairly with Arsenal in the championship race.
Guardiola himself has admitted that: "Without Haaland, things would be very difficult."
Who will save Man City if Haaland does not score?
Manchester United depended heavily on Robin van Persie's goals when Sir Alex Ferguson's side won the Premier League in 2012-2013. However, at that time, Wayne Rooney and Rafael Hernandez also reached double digits, helping to share the scoring burden.
However, for Man City, the situation is completely different. No one else at the Etihad could have approached Haaland in terms of goals in the competition at the moment. The Norwegian striker has scored 11 of City's 20 goals in the Premier League this season. Meanwhile, Phil Foden, Rayan Cherki and Ti will Reijnders each have one goal, while strikers Savinho, Omar Marmoush and Jeremy Doku have yet to open their accounts.
Is that important? With Haaland scoring and City winning, there seemed to be nothing to worry about. But it is hard to believe that the Norwegian striker can play the whole season, especially after a busy summer with the FIFA Club World Cup and a short break. When Haaland cannot play or fails to score, The Citizens will need someone who is capable of filling that void.
The problem is that Kevin De Bruyne - who often carries the team in Haaland's absence - is now playing for Napoli. Meanwhile, Marmoush is injured and Foden has not yet regained the form that helped him score 19 goals in the 2023-2024 season.
Haaland's strongest point is his ability to take advantage of opportunities thoroughly. His two goals against Bournemouth both came from sloppy escapes and shots. It may seem simple, but in the same situation, Nico O'Reilly missed it.
The difference lies in class. Outstanding players never miss, and good players can. Haaland is the definition of greatness.
Omar Marmoush coming on for Haaland in the 82nd minute cost him the chance to score his 12th hat-trick for City. However, with the upcoming important matches against Liverpool and Dortmund, every minute of rest for Haaland is precious.
And given his importance to the team, Guardiola knows he needs to protect the star striker. Because as long as Haaland maintains his fitness and form, Man City can completely defend the Premier League title.
