Nathan Ake insists the Manchester City squad are getting used to playing three at the back amid Pep Guardiola’s recent tactical change.
10.03.2023 - 11:23 / manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Patrick Vieira said it was 'no surprise' to see Erling Haaland bag three goals in 19 minutes against his side back in August, and the truth is it wasn't really a surprise to anyone else either.
West Ham on the opening day of the season were probably the only team who can claim to have been surprised by Haaland, given he struggled in the Community Shield defeat to Liverpool the previous weekend, but a clinical brace that sunny afternoon ended any doubt.
Like a duck to water the Norwegian took to the rigours of Premier League football and for the other 19 teams, from then on it has been a case of crossing everything and hoping for an off day. That looked to be the case when Palace came to visit, an own-goal from John Stones and Joachim Andersen's header giving them a 2-0 lead inside 21 minutes.
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They kept it tight until the break and even a little bit longer, Bernardo Silva pulling one back but City becoming frustrated going past the hour mark. It was then that Haaland decided to turn up, almost as if he'd waited for dramatic effect. It took 155 minutes for the Etihad crowd to see him score - 73 minutes against Bournemouth producing little - and then all of a sudden they'd seen him bang in three.
“There is no surprise about the quality of the player," Vieira said after the final whistle. "I think it’s the quality of this Manchester City team that always allowed those players to shine and score goals. I think collectively they went through a different level in the second-half we couldn’t cope with. That’s the reality of the game.
“Planning the game is about trying not to give him so much space inside the box because he is someone who moves well. He’s a
Nathan Ake insists the Manchester City squad are getting used to playing three at the back amid Pep Guardiola’s recent tactical change.
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