Guardiola sends Haaland warning to Premier League rivals with ominous message
Pep Guardiola warned that Erling Haaland is ready to once again take a wrecking ball to Premier League defences after the Manchester City striker showed why he’s big in Japan.
Haaland, who scored 52 goals as City won the Treble in his first season at the Etihad, came off the bench at half-time to score twice against Yokohama Marinos, as the Blues started their pre-season tour with a victory over the J1 League champions.
The Norwegian goal machine needed six minutes to put the Blues ahead for the first time with only his third touch of the ball after City had recovered from going two goals behind to draw level by the break thanks to a quick-fire riposte from John Stones and Julian Alvarez.
Haaland’s arrival produced the biggest cheer of the night from the 61,618 fans who packed in Tokyo’s impressive National Stadium - and the prolific ponytail sent them home happy by finding the net again in injury-time. Guardiola said: “Compared to this period last season, Erling is fitter now than when he arrived.
“He looks good. He is still some way from his best condition, like everyone, but it was important for him to score two goals in the first game because last season he didn’t score at the end. It is important he knows our rhythm and principles and we are working all the time. We know exactly what he has to do. We know him - and in a few weeks he will be in better condition than now.”
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Haaland managed to score just once in his last eight appearances as City landed a Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup clean sweep. He will be delighted to hear Guardiola confirm that assist king Kevin De Bruyne will be fit for the start of the new campaign.
De Bruyne suffered a badly torn hamstring in the victory over Inter Milan that confirmed City as European champions six weeks ago. But Guardiola said: “Kevin feels much, much better. I don’t know about Bayern Munich or the next game against Atletico Madrid. But he is so close and he is coming back soon.”
Manchester City got their pre-season off to a winning start in Japan (Koji Watanabe/Getty Images)Guardiola made 10 changes at half-time after seeing Stones and Alvarez both strike in the space of three minutes just before the break after Yokohama had crafted two fine goals for Brazilian striker Anderson Lopes and Ken Matsubara inside the first 37 minutes.
Marinos, who gave Scottish champions Celtic a 6-4 bruising last week, are managed by former Millwall, Wolves and Crystal Palace hardman Kevin Muscat. They became one of the City Football Group’s sister clubs in 2014 - but their impressive start shook big brother into action.
The buzz inside the stadium when the flowing blond locks of Haaland appeared at the mouth of the tunnel at the start of the season half grew into a crescendo when they realised he was stripped for action. And the fans were on their feet again when the striker collected Phil Foden's pass to find the bottom corner with the kind of accuracy that he takes for granted.
Erling Haaland's double gave Manchester City a 5-3 victory over Yokohama Marinos (Masashi Hara/Getty Images)Have your say! Will Erling Haaland score more goals next season? Let us know your prediction in the comments section.
Rodri, whose strike won the Champions League in Istanbul, then showed his improving eye for goal with a gloriously placed finish from 30 yards. Yokohama reduced the deficit when Kenta Inoue capitalised on a mix-up between City keeper Stefan Ortega and Rico Lewis.
But it was scripted that Haaland would have the final word and duly arrived at the far post in injury-time to walk home a cross from rebel full-back Joao Cancelo.
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