Erling Haaland He needed less than four minutes to score his first goal against Liverpool. Just 19 years old at the time, he had started on the bench for RB Salzburg's visit to Anfield in the Champions League in 2019. He was brought on by manager Jesse Marsch when his team were coming back from 3-0 down and quickly made it 3-3.
It was one of the easiest goals I've ever scored. Erling Haaland He scored, tapping the ball into the empty net after an assist from Takumi Minamino. However, the euphoria faded when Mohamed Salah made it 4-3 for the Reds. Even so, that goal on English soil served to further cement Haaland's reputation at the start of his meteoric rise to become the best center forward in the world.
And yet, that goal was a feast before a famine—by the ridiculously high standards of Erling Haaland— against Liverpool. In eight matches against the Reds, the Norwegian has only scored three times, the fewest goals he has scored against a team he has faced at least eight times. By comparison, Erling Haaland He has scored eight times against Manchester United, five against Arsenal, and four each against Chelsea and Tottenham. Liverpool, against whom he has scored two goals in six matches with City, is clearly his nemesis. But Sunday's game is the perfect opportunity for the Norwegian goalscoring machine to break his Liverpool curse.
Overshadowed by Núñez
In its breakout season, Erling Haaland He looked frustrated in Salzburg's home game against Liverpool, being substituted in a 2-0 defeat. His first match against the Merseyside club in a City shirt was in the 2022 Community Shield, where he was surprisingly overshadowed by Darwin Núñez in a 3-1 loss. The striker barely touched the ball 14 times and missed a clear chance late in the game. Guardiola urged caution, saying: “He didn't score. Another day he will. He has incredible quality and he will get it. He's going to help us a lot.”
The manager was right, and in his next match, Haaland scored twice against West Ham, his first goals on his way to a record 36 goals in a Premier League season. But he hasn't really helped City beat Liverpool, at least not in the league.
Zero wins in the Premier League
The Norwegian failed to score again the next time he faced Liverpool, in a 1-0 defeat at Anfield in October 2022. He did find the net in the Carabao Cup tie two months later, but missed the following game through injury. City barely felt his absence, winning 4-1 en route to the Premier League title.
Erling Haaland He scored in a 1-1 home draw against Liverpool in November 2023, but hasn't found the net against them since. This means that Erling Haaland They are still waiting for their first Premier League victory against Liverpool. Despite Liverpool's recent poor results, in their last two matches they have looked like the team that dominated last season.
Therefore, the very Erling Haaland He warned: “We need to perform as a team and all stick together, attacking and defending as one. We have to be prepared because it won't be an easy match.”
He's never felt better
Erling Haaland He couldn't be in better form or mindset as he prepares to settle the score on Sunday. He has scored 18 goals in 14 games for City in the Premier League and Champions League, plus nine in three appearances for Norway. That's 27 goals in 17 games, putting him on course to surpass his incredible tally of 57 goals in the 2022-23 season. “It's a good start, and I feel really good,” he said this week. “I feel like this is the best version of myself. I've never felt better than I do now.”
A diligent routine that pays off
Last month, Erling Haaland He revealed his diligent daily routine for recovering from matches and training, which includes red light therapy, massages, ice baths, and a strict diet. After scoring against his former team, Borussia Dortmund, he reiterated how important this routine has been to his current insatiable form. He explained that it's about "maintaining energy levels, staying motivated, and doing things that are good for my body and my brain."
The main goal of his career, within reach
Although Erling Haaland While he prefers to ignore individual records like Alan Shearer's in the Premier League, there's one challenge he can't get out of his mind: helping Norway qualify for the World Cup. His country could secure its place in its first World Cup since 1998 in the coming days. "My main goal in my career is to take Norway to a World Cup and a European Championship," he stated.
With a historic achievement for his country at stake and his first league win against Liverpool in his sights, it looks like the most important week of his career. Erling Haaland However, he's trying to stay in his own little corner, free from external pressure. And the "Haaland zone" is a particularly dangerous place for opponents right now.
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