After surpassing the scoring record at Man City, Erling Haaland has been unable to match Marcus Rashford’s achievements since the 2022 World Cup for Manchester United.
Man City controlled and easily defeated Bournemouth 4-1 at Dean Court in round 25 of the Premier League courtesy to goals from Julian Alvarez (15′), Erling Haaland (29′), Phil Foden (45′), and Chris Mepham’s own goal (51′). Jefferson Lerma (83′) is the inventor of the home team’s honor table from the front line.
Despite this victory, Man City remains second in the Premier League standings with 55 points after 25 matches, trailing Arsenal by 2 points but having played 1 more game.
The goal that doubled the lead against Bournemouth was Haaland’s 27th of the season in 24 Premier League matches. The Norwegian forward surpassed Sergio Aguero (26 goals, 2014–15 season) to become the player with the most goals scored for Manchester City in the English Premier League in a single season.
Haaland has several opportunities to brεak his own record in the 2022/23 Premier League season, as Manchester City still has 13 games remaining. Since joining Etihad in the summer of 2022, the 22-year-old star has recorded 33 goals and 4 assists across 33 total appearances.
Haaland now leads the Premier League in scoring, 10 goals ahead of Tottenham’s Harry Kane.
Despite being in exceptionally outstanding form, Haaland has only contributed directly to 10 Premier League goals since the 2022 World Cup. This accomplishment is still less than one-time that of Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford.
In the previous encounter, midfielder Phil Foden generated seven scoring opportunities for Bournemouth. Since James Milner, this is the finest performance by a Man City player away from home in the Premier League (against Aston Villa in October 2014, 8 chances).
Man City stat which proves why Pep Guardiola is sticking with Ederson
In recent weeks, the Brazilian goalkeeper for Manchester City has come under investigation.
After Manchester City’s victory over Newcastle United on Saturday, even Ederson’s harshest detractors would have been hard-pressed to criticize the starting goalkeeper.
His clean sheet in the 2-0 win was his 100th in 208 Premier League appearances. It is a great accomplishment for a man who plays perhaps one of the most difficult positions in Pep Guardiola’s club.
While on most teams a goalkeeper’s primary task is to keep the ball out of the net, this is not the case for Guardiola’s goalkeeper. Ederson plays a significant role in City’s back-to-back attacks, which start at the back.
This is why City’s manager requires his goalie to have good footwork. During his tenure at Eastlands, Joe Hart performed excellently, yet this aspect of his game would be his undoing.
But, this is where Ederson truly succeeds. Monday, City announced that the 29-year-old had completed an astounding 5,474 passes in the Premier League, averaging 933 passes each season.
His long-range vision has been a sight to behold throughout his time with the Blues, as he has made more than simply short passes. Gary Lineker admired Ederson’s skill during an FA Cup match in 2019.
He said: “Ederson is a tremendous player with the ball at his feet, regardless of his goaltending ability. Imagine competing with a goalkeeper who passes the ball better than you.”
Ederson has redefined the necessary tools for a goalkeeper. His performances have prompted other managers to search for a versatile goalkeeper.
This past weekend, it was easy to identify a goalie who has been held back at the international level because he is regarded to be insufficient with the ball. Before requiring a goalkeeper to distribute passes like Andres Iniesta, it is prudent to remember that the goalkeeper’s primary responsibility is to block sҺots.
In recent weeks, Ederson has committed several errors, some of which have been costly. Clearly, his confidence has suffered a setback.
But, Guardiola is aware that his replacement alternatives for the 29-year-old are limited. Except for his awful showing against Southampton, Stefan Ortega has played well, yet he is no match on the ball.
The significance of Ederson’s contribution cannot be overstated. When the time comes to permanently replace the Brazilian, City will struggle, but until then, Guardiola will not give in to the critics’ clamor to replace the Blues’ starting goalkeeper.