“I’ve never experienced anything like this in my life,” England international footballer Jack Grealish enthused about his Manchester City team-mate. In Wednesday’s 5-0 Champions League win against FC Copenhagen, the Norwegian scored his top-flight goals 27 and 28 in just 22 games, despite being substituted at half-time.
In the past nine competitive games, the former Red Bull Salzburg striker and Austria’s Footballer of the Year 2019 has always scored at least one goal. He scored 19 goals in twelve competitive games for Pep Guardiola’s team. That’s not the only reason Copenhagen keeper Kamil Grabara was stunned. The Pole was defeated by the 22-year-old striker in the 7th and 33rd minutes. “Their goalkeeper said to me: ‘He’s not human’. I said: ‘Who are you telling that to’,” said Grealish, who was delighted: “The first goal and the second goal I just laughed. He’s always there. I hope he can continue like this and lead us to titles.”
A Copenhagen professional of all people prevented a hat-trick like in the 6-3 derby win against Manchester United on Sunday: David Khocholava steered the ball into his own net before Haaland was ready to score (39th). “He’s incredible,” coach Guardiola marveled at his goal machine.
At the break, Guardiola took his exceptional striker off the pitch – to protect himself. “If the game had been close, Erling would have continued playing,” explained the ex-Bayern coach. “It was good that he got a break. On Saturday, FC Southampton are an opponent that we couldn’t defeat last year,” said Guardiola before the duel with the team coached by Styrian Ralph Hasenhüttl.
Haaland has scored 14 goals in eight Premier League games and is the undisputed top scorer. He also leads the premier class with five goals. “It’s crazy to see how he scores the second goal,” enthused even Copenhagen coach Jacob Neestrup, explaining: “Today we played against one of the very best strikers in the world.”
Source: Nachrichten
