Having won four English Premier League titles in five years, Manchester City has officially become the undisputed king of English football. Interestingly, they’ve managed to do this in the last few seasons without an out-and-out starting striker. This has changed drastically as the Cityzens have recently secured the services of Erling Haaland, who is widely regarded as one of the best strikers in world football at the moment, but will this signing have a negative impact on Pep’s men?
While this is contrary to what many people think regarding Erling Haaland’s move to Manchester City, there are some reasons behind how his signing could affect the Cityzens negatively. For one, Erling Haaland is one of the most-watched footballers in the world. It has been quoted numerous times that he and Kylian Mbappe are emerging as the next two to take over the mantle left behind by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. With this kind of pressure and expectation, Haaland will be under serious scrutiny if he does not perform as he has at Borrusia Dortmund.
This pressure is made worse with sports betting sites listed by bookmaker reviewers in South Africa giving Man City the shortest odds to win the Premier League title, meaning that they are the clear favorite to become three-time winners in three years.
While the Norwegian has shone in the Bundesliga, recent history indicates that Bundesliga stars have a hard time adjusting to life in the Premier League. When Timo Werner first arrived at Chelsea, he was riddled with poor form and missed opportunities. The same can be said for Kai Havertz when he arrived, and more recently, Jadon Sancho, a former teammate of Erling Haaland’s has had one of the most underwhelming seasons in his career in his first season in the Premier League.
What’s more, is the recent signing of Jack Grealish has proven that not all players are cut out for playing at Manchester City. While Grealish starred for Aston Villa, he struggled to find the same form for the Cityzens, despite being one of the club’s most expensive ever signings. So much was expected from Grealish when he arrived at Manchester City, but his season has been defined by bench-warming, and missed chances, most notably in Man City’s Champions League exit.
While Haaland is easily one of the most prolific strikers in the world right now, emulating that same form in a team riddled with talent, in one of the physical and challenging leagues in the world is no easy feat. What’s more, is that English football fans are ruthless, and if he doesn’t perform, the reaction from the Man City faithful, as well as fans from opposing teams will be absolutely brutal, which could have significant effects on the player’s confidence.
While it is expected that Haaland will succeed in Manchester, this move is a make or break for his career. Taking on one of the world’s most challenging leagues and playing in the league’s most successful team comes with an added layer of pressure, which is added to by a number of factors. Time will tell whether or not this move will be the right one for the Norwegian superstar.
