Erling Haaland, fourth season with Manchester City. He understands the situation that his team faces as they embark on a new era with manager Pep Guardiola. Five of the most important players from that treble-winning squad exited through the summer transfer window. Haaland knows that this requires a willingness to change and bold leadership. He stresses that the players’ evolution is crucial and desirable for the betterment of the team. This is particularly crucial as they head into their next fixture against Manchester United.
In an exclusive interview ahead of Sunday’s highly-anticipated Manchester Derby, Haaland opened up about adjusting to the team’s massive turnover. Supporters will be able to follow all the action live on Sky Sports. He noted that football is changing. As much as Manchester City has enjoyed immense glory in years past, the current roster must find its own way to the promised land.
“A lot of important people left so new people have to come in and make a difference and people that have been here for years like me have to take more responsibility,” said Haaland. Losing established war horses like Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan and Kyle Walker have taken their toll on the old voeten locker room. They took with them almost one Premier League title worth of combined experience, creating a gaping hole.
New arrivals including Rayan Cherki, Rayan Ait Nouri, Tijjani Reijnders, James Trafford, and Gianluigi Donnarumma are expected to contribute to the team’s dynamics. Luckily, Haaland has taken it upon himself to help these newcomers adapt to the rigors of Premier League football.
“I have to guide the team, I have to help the new ones to come in as quick as possible, because it’s not easy to come into a new country and perform straight away,” he explained. The striker bears the storm of his position’s burdens. With a valuation of £156 million, he’s an outlier by a long shot relative to the rest of his squad.
It took an exemplary display of finishing from Haaland to net two. His dominant display anchored a 4-0 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers on the first weekend of the season. He knows that the team can’t become complacent and has to build momentum and consistency in the future.
We need to help each other. We need to understand that the past is the past and we’re not the same team anymore. We have to use it in a positive way. We have other qualities now and we have to adapt,” he stated. City need to be flexible as they set up to battle Manchester United in the FA Cup Final. The stakes have been raised, with United above them in the league table for the first time in five years.
With both teams vying for valuable playoff positioning, pandemonium should reign as the frequent Eastern Conference rivals meet for the first time since last year, when they failed to earn a single point against United. Haaland is aware of the tremendous burden of expectation on his shoulders.
“It’s a lot on me, I get it, I totally agree that’s how it should be,” he acknowledged. “In the end, the most important thing is we have to win games.”
His love for the game and commitment to making his teammates better is evident in the details. “We have to perform. Say what you want, but we have to win games in the end. That’s what we get paid for. I try to do everything I can and I try to help the team as much as possible,” he concluded.
Leave a Reply