Haaland doesn't need to look at the ball when De Bruyne is around

Striker Erling Haaland praised the talent of teammate Kevin De Bruyne after the 2-0 victory over Everton in round 24 of the Premier League.

At Etihad Stadium yesterday, February 10, Erling Haaland scored his second goal in the 85th minute. From a pass from Kevin De Bruyne, the Norwegian striker accelerated, pressed down on center-back Jarrad Branthwaite, causing him to fall, then placed his left foot into the far corner.

After the match, Haaland said he likes such acceleration and direct runs into the middle and said he should have scored in a similar situation in the 3-1 win at Brentford on February 5. "I was successful in this match. It's good because it shows improvement," he said.

The winner was also the first time De Bruyne had assisted Haaland this season. "I try to make these runs with all the players, but with De Bruyne I know the ball will be perfect," the Norwegian said. "You can see I don't even look at the ball for two seconds when De Bruyne is in control, because I'm focused on running towards the goal. It's not bad for other players, but it's a small difference."

Haaland celebrates with De Bruyne and Phil Foden in the match against Everton in round 24 of the Premier League. Photo: AP

Before that, in the 71st minute, Haaland himself opened the scoring for Man City. From a chaotic situation in the penalty area, the ball came to the Norwegian striker's feet. His powerful right-footed shot from close range left goalkeeper Jordan Pickford unable to block it even though he touched the ball with his hand.

"I've been training my right foot for the last few months," Haaland said. "It's a great feeling, playing again and at home. It's a great feeling to win."

This brace marked Haaland's perfect return, after missing ten matches in all competitions due to a foot injury sustained in the 0-1 defeat at Aston Villa on December 6. Thanks to that, he continues to lead the Premier League's top scorer list this season with 16 goals, two more than Mohamed Salah (Liverpool). "It's terrible to be injured. I don't like it," Haaland said. "But it makes you appreciate the daily training, the pre-match team meetings and the excitement when you go into the game. It makes your mind think differently. Now I really appreciate every training session because I know what it's like to be without it."

Last season, Haaland exploded with 52 goals in 53 matches in all competitions, helping Man City win the treble of Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup. But the Norwegian striker believes Man City will not be able to repeat that feat this season.

Similarly, coach Pep Guardiola also believes that Man City will not be able to win the treble like last season. "It's a fairy tale. Everything is very complicated," the 53-year-old coach expressed. "If it was easy, Man Utd could have done it before. The players know how difficult it is. What I like is that we are still competing for titles and hopefully we can continue to maintain that until the end of the season."

Hong Duy

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