Defending champions Manchester City made a successful return to the Premier League at promoted Burnley (3-0) on Friday with two goals from the insatiable Erling Haaland in the first half. The Citizens and their 23-year-old Norwegian striker haven’t lost their good manners, in a hostile turf moor, with tremendous possession and the most bleeding chances.
The evening was marked by a particularly surrealist scene. At halftime, as the Citizens returned to the locker room, Pep Guardiola reached out to his striker to pull down his suspenders. An explanation to the camera that the city manager would be furiously distracting.
According to English media, Guardiola criticized Haaland for his attitude when he criticized Bernardo Silva for not launching him deep and preferring to play less with another partner.
“We just have to not take stress, relax and focus on ourselves”
The former Borussia Dortmund center forward welcomed his coach’s departure in the 80th minute without flinching. By scoring two goals, he largely fulfilled his contract and made a great start to his season. Much was expected of the Norwegian during the transparent Community Shield defeat against Arsenal on penalties at Wembley last Sunday.
Friday’s success is in line with his previous season, his first in England, which he finished with 36 league goals and 52 in all competitions. Ballon d’Or candidate, can he imagine being able to do even better? “If you think about it too much, you go a bit crazy in your head,” Haaland blanked after the game to broadcaster Sky Sports. “We are still at the beginning of this marathon, we just have to not take stress, relax and focus on ourselves. ,
Without too many balls to eat, Haaland turned the pieces he collected into a real feast, and presented himself with a double, as he did in his opening fixture against West Ham (2-0) in the Premier League last season. did in the match.
He first turned the ball into gold with a header at the far post from Rodri, the scorer in the Champions League final against Inter Milan in June, just three minutes after kick-off. dispatch (4th, 1-0).
He did it again half an hour later on a serve from Julián Álvarez, which was exploited to the fullest: perfect physical balance and an uncontrolled curling shot, from the left, that penetrated the crossbar (36th, 2-0). The Norwegian legend, often with an expressionless face, even smiled on the occasion…