Already the author of 10 goals in 7 Premier League matches and another achievement in the Champions League, Erling Haaland is nevertheless disappointing at the start of the season. When he doesn’t convert an offering from a teammate, the Norwegian crack is discreet if not ghostly. This was the case during Manchester City’s match at Wolverhampton on Sunday. The 24-year-old center forward who will not be Ballon d’Or 2024, stuck in the Wolves defense, did little to hinder his opponents.
Haaland touched 13 balls in 100 minutes of play. He did not hit the goal in the game and, it should be noted, he did not win any duels on the ground or in the air. Without Kevin De Bruyne, still in the recovery phase, Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gündogan nevertheless struggled to circulate the ball and, on the wings, Savinho and Jérémy Doku regularly brought danger. Pep Guardiola’s players tried their luck 22 times!
City defenders rather than Haaland
The reigning English champion, however, won at Molineux Stadium (1-2). Jorgen Strand Larsen opened the scoring at the start of the match (7th) to the delight of the local team of captain Mario Lemina. Josko Gvardiol equalized after half an hour of play from a set point (33rd). At the very end of the match, on a series of corners in favor of the visitors, John Stones also headed the ball into the back of the net (95th). Bernardo Silva had hampered the opposing goalkeeper, José Sa, on the corner, but the central referee, although called by his video assistant, validated the goal.
The Mancunians therefore obtain a valuable victory by taking the lead in the standings with two points more than Liverpool, who challenge Chelsea in the afternoon. They are also three steps ahead of Arsenal now, the Gunners having lost on Saturday at Bournemouth (2-0).
