Erling Haaland may have netted 52 goals in 53 appearances in all competitions for Pep Guardiola’s continental treble-winning Manchester City in his first year with the club, his recent scoring draught, especially in this season’s UEFA Champions League was a worrying sign for everyone at Cityzens’ camp. Fortunately, the 23-year-old forward sensation from Norway was finally able to turn things around in last night’s Matchday 3 fixture against BSC Young Boys at Wankdorf Stadium, ending his goal scoring draught with a brace and helping his City side to stay perfect in the European club football competition this year.
A Scoring Draught of More Than Five Games and 500 Minutes in the Champions League
Prior to the game against BSC Young Boys at their home, Erling Haaland had gone on a scoring draught of five games in the UEFA Champions League, having netted his last goal in the competition in the second leg of the quarterfinal matchup against Bayern Munich in 2022/2023. Coupled with an hour of playing time in the Young Boys game, the scoring draught of Haaland’s was further translated into more than 500 minutes without any goals in the European club football competition. Hence, to be able to get on the scoresheet again must have been a huge relief for the player as well as his manager and teammates at Manchester City.
All four goals of the BSC Young Boys-Manchester City game came in the second half, including Haaland’s brace. The Norwegian megastar’s first goal in more than 500 minutes of playing time came with less than half an hour to go in the match, when the score was tied at one apiece due to Manuel Akanji’s opening goal in the 48th minute and Meschak Elia’s equaliser less than 240 seconds later. Haaland ended his goal draught from the 12-yard, after Spanish midfielder Rodri was brought down in the penalty box by Mohamed Ali Camara. The 23-year-old Norway striker sent the goalkeeper to the wrong way with a strike into the middle part of the net.
Relieved with a halt to his European club football competition goal draught, Haaland went on to score another four minutes before the added time was given, this time via an beautiful curled shot. Rodri was the orchestrator behind the goal again, when he received the ball right before the dangerous zone thanks to City’s patient buildup play; All the Spaniard had to do next was to find one of the fiercest strikers in the world at the moment with a simple pass, which he did. Haaland, who ended his European goal scoring draught minutes earlier, gained the ball possession from Rodri, before faking Cheikh Niasse to find the top right corner with his incredible strike.
Erling Haaland finally ends his goalscoring drought in the Champions League after 543 minutes 💪 pic.twitter.com/MmKWpS0Ukl
— B/R Football (@brfootball) October 25, 2023
Ending His Scoring Draught and Finding His Form Back Right Before the Manchester Derby
Haaland’s emphatic game that saw him end his scoring draught could not have come at a better timing. Apart from maintaining defending UEFA Champions League winners Manchester City’s perfect record in their title defence campaign (Three wins in three Matchdays with nine goals scored), his brace against BSC Young Boys also brought his season tally to 11 goals in 14 matches in all competitions for Pep’s side, elevating his form at a crucial time of the 2023/2024 Season, since the Cityzens will be travelling to Old Trafford to face Manchester United for the 191st Manchester Derby.
In light of his return from the scoring draught, Guardiola played down the concerns of Haaland not scoring in recent European matches. The 52-year-old former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager said: “There is the impression after last season that he has to score seven goals every single game. That is impossible. But he is scoring a lot of goals and if people want him to fail because he doesn’t score 50 goals it doesn’t matter. He is always there. The second goal was really good and he had other chances. The important thing is to create them.
“Maybe in the right moment of the season he will be there, better than now, but he has already scored a lot of goals and we are really pleased. I’ve told him many times I don’t judge him for scoring goals, although I know he wants to score goals. He has the desire to improve and I don’t have doubts about that.”
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Who Will Win the 191st Manchester Derby, Is It City or United?
If anyone is not pleased with Haaland ending his scoring draught, then it must be Manchester United, who will be welcoming their arch-nemesis to Old Trafford this weekend. The Manchester Derby, is set to be the 191st meeting between both Manchester clubs, having first played each other almost 142 years ago. The game at United’s home is set to be an emotional one, as it will be the first Premier League match at Old Trafford for the Red Devils since the passing of club legend and England’s 1966 FIFA World Cup-winning player Sir Bobby Charlton.
If we delve deep into the all-time record, the home side of the 191st Manchester Derby are currently leading with 78 wins as compared to City’s 59, but such statistics will not make United favourites going into the Old Trafford game, as their archrivals have won five of their last seven meetings against Manchester United, and Haaland, who has now ended his goal scoring draught in European club competition, looks set to increase his Premier League tally of the season to double digits this Sunday.
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