Man City have a positive from their first three games that is going under the radar

Erling Haaland has been getting plenty of chances for Manchester City and if he finds his scoring boots he could yet turn the season around.

Manchester City have created plenty of chances for Erling Haaland

Had Erling Haaland been a little sharper in front of goal last weekend, then this international break could have had a very different vibe for Manchester City.

As it was, Haaland's first-half goal wasn't enough for City to get all three points at the Amex Stadium. Just as they did last season, they gave up a winning position and two defeats in their first three Premier League games of the season have alarm bells ringing.

But the game could easily have been out of sight at the break. Haaland scored once, but he missed two very presentable chances to add to his tally. He had seven shots in the game, three of which were on target, and would have left the south coast disappointed.

The good news for City is that Haaland is getting these chances. The Blues' start hasn't been good, but Haaland's underlying numbers look encouraging.

After seeing him score twice in the opening-day win at Wolves, Pep Guardiola said he felt Haaland was back to the levels he showed in his first season at the club. In one way, that looks correct.

Haaland is averaging five shots per 90 minutes so far this term, which is well above last season's 3.42. He hit 3.77 and 3.99 in his first two seasons. His xG per 90, albeit from a small sample size, is at an impressive 1.38. Last season, it was down to 0.72, having been 0.92 and 1.03 in his first two years at the club.

The biggest difference between Haaland's first season and what has followed, particularly his second, is that his finishing was lethal. In the Premier League, he overperformed his xG by 7.6 goals. It was the fourth season in a row, including his three at Borussia Dortmund, that he had significantly overperformed in xG terms.

But then he underperformed by 2.2 goals in 2023/24 and scored the exact number of goals he was expected to last season. This season, he is showing a figure of -0.9. It is early days and that could easily change.

City will need it to if they are to get back on track this season. Once again, goals from other areas look in short supply. Haaland has scored three of their five Premier League goals so far this season.

“Better than ever," is what Guardiola said of Haaland after the opening day of the season. "I see Erling’s rhythm and speed, and how it helps us. It’s quite similar to his first season here. We need him.”

Haaland was getting the chances on Saturday, just as he did in that Wolves game. Only this time, he wasn't taking them. He made a mess of a one-on-one when Haaland at his ruthless best would have scored, and should have given Bart Verbruggen no chance with a header from Rayan Ait-Nouri's cross.

Perhaps it will all click for Haaland soon, although a return of three goals in three games isn't cause for too much concern. He has six goals in eight games on derby day, but will want to erase the memory of the last two he has played in, which ended in defeat at the Etihad last season and at Wembley in the 2024 FA Cup final.

If Haaland can find the deadly streak that saw him so regularly outperform his xG for four straight seasons, then he could once bag a hatful of goals this term. If he does that, then this season could yet get back on track relatively quickly.

---

Here at the Manchester Evening News, we’re dedicated to bringing you the best Manchester City coverage and analysis.

Make sure you don’t miss out on the latest City news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe.

You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day’s biggest stories.

And finally, if you’d rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Talking City podcast. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and you can also watch along on YouTube.