The Haaland factor: will Manchester City finally win the Champions League with him?

Manchester City is a hated club for many football fans. And despite their many successes on the domestic stage, the Citizens are still one major trophy short. The Champions League. And it is the one that Pep Guardiola’s new offensive pairing, headlined by Norwegian sniper Erling Haaland, should help him to. Will the Sky Blues finally manage to lift the Eared Cup above their heads?

It goes without saying that Haaland alone will not bring the Champions League to Manchester. But he has some very significant positives that the Citizens need at the spearhead striker position. First and foremost, he is a true ‘spearhead’, which may change the formation in Manchester with the playing of the so-called false nine. In addition, the Norwegian footballer possesses phenomenal pace, something that Kevin De Bruyne is no doubt looking forward to.

The Belgian offensive midfielder is known for his great assists. And a large number of fans are looking forward to his collaboration with Haaland. The question remains whether De Bruyne will shift under Haaland or whether he will supply Nora with quality passes from the edge.

Other comings and goings will also play a role in the formation. Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus are likely to leave the team for London. Oleksandr Zinchenko, for whom Pep Guardiola has eyed a replacement in Marco Cucurella at Brighton, could also end up leaving. The Spaniard could be another important factor in the fight for the Champions League.

But now back to the attack. Along with Haaland, the 170 centimetres tall Argentine Julian Álvarez can operate at the spearhead. The 22-year-old forward joined Manchester City in January this year, but finished the season at River Plate. Now, despite huge interest from teams in Europe, the Citizens have decided to keep Álvarez in the team and give him a chance. He has 17 goals in 22 games so far this calendar year.

What Erling Braut Haaland will have to work on is finishing with his head. In his still short career, he has scored the bare minimum of his goals with his head, namely eleven out of 135. What City are missing is a header striker who will be able to score in the final push. And Nor could be it.

A good strength and conditioning can help him do that. Haaland is physically well prepared, which in the Premier League is often more important than the ability to score goals. Power play is a very important aspect in the Isles, as players like Erling Haaland in particular get extra protection when defending.

If the predictions come true, Erling Haaland will be a star not only in Manchester but also in the world. But as we have seen several times in the past, a move to England may not be for everyone.

Source: Transfermarkt