On the eve of a recent Premier League match, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola made a bold comparison between his striker Erling Haaland and Lionel Messi. He likened Haaland’s relentless mentality and appetite for goals to Messi’s mastery of football. And when Haaland scored his latest goal in the match, he did it with a glorious deftness of touch that spoke of Messi’s influence.
Haaland’s goal was his 35th in the Premier League this season, breaking the record for the highest scorer in a single campaign in the competition’s 31-year history. This remarkable achievement is even more impressive considering Haaland is just 22 years old and still considered a rookie. Guardiola believes Haaland is only likely to get better, which is a daunting prospect for opponents.
The goal came in a match against West Ham United, which City won 3-0. After Nathan Ake had put City in front early in the second half, Haaland’s strike ensured that they would head back to the top of the Premier League with a game in hand on challengers Arsenal. It was their ninth straight league win and their 19th unbeaten match in all competitions. City is now well on their way to winning their fifth title in six years.
Haaland’s goal in this match was not a typical one for him, as the Norseman scores all sorts of goals. But his versatility and ability to score in a variety of ways make him a valuable asset to his team. And with his record-breaking performance this season, it’s clear that he has a bright future ahead of him.
Despite the win, Guardiola knows that his team still has a tough week ahead of them as they pursue a treble. They must face off against Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti, who has four European Cups as a boss, and Sam Allardyce, who believes he should have four European Cups. Leeds United will visit the Etihad on Saturday, and Guardiola will have to contend with Big Sam, who has assured everyone that he is on the same level as Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp.
The West Ham match was not without its challenges for City. The Hammers had several players out with a sickness bug, and there were hundreds of empty seats in the away end. Guardiola made the unusual decision to bench his first-choice keeper Ederson and give his German back-up keeper Stefan Ortega a Premier League debut.
The match started slowly, with the first 25 minutes played at a testimonial pace. City created a few chances, but they were not moving the ball quickly enough. Guardiola was also not happy with their performance levels. But after containing City well for the first half, West Ham conceded within five minutes of the restart when Ake headed in a free-kick from Riyad Mahrez.
City’s performance improved after the goal, and they forced a string of corners. Guardiola indulged in some tetchy cheerleading, perhaps sensing some of West Ham’s ‘Happy Flowers’ mentality. But it was a careless pass from West Ham that led to City’s second goal. Grealish picked up the ball and released Haaland with a cute through-ball. Haaland timed his run perfectly to beat the offside trap, and he scored with a deft pitching wedge of a shot that Fabianski could only help on its way.
City’s dominance continued, and they scored their 1,000th goal in all competitions when Phil Foden’s shot took a deflection off Emerson Palmieri and found the back of the net. With Haaland already contributing more than five percent of City’s goals this season, it’s clear that he is an integral part of their success.
In conclusion, Manchester City’s victory over West Ham was a testament to their dominance this season.
