Soccer
Exhausted and ineffective: Analysing Erling Haaland’s slump as Manchester City prepare to face Bodo-Glimt
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After a quite stunning start to the season, Manchester City striker Erling Haaland’s form has dropped off dramatically in recent weeks.
A man who could not stop scoring has now gone seven games without finding the net in open play and was largely ineffective during Saturday’s Manchester derby defeat at Old Trafford.
Here, DAZN News reporter Ross Heppenstall assesses the factors behind Haaland’s recent struggles as City prepare to take on Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League tonight.
Scoring goals for fun and breaking records
Haaland enjoyed perhaps the best form of his career earlier this season after posting an incredible number of goals.
For club and country, the Norwegian was simply unstoppable.
Among his many achievements, he holds the title of being the quickest player to score 50 Champions League goals and the only player to score hat-tricks in three back-to-back Premier League home games.
He is already Norway’s all-time top scorer too, but when City won 5-4 at Fulham on December 2, Haaland’s opener saw him reach a century of goals in just 111 games.
That beat the previous record set by Newcastle legend Alan Shearer in 1995 by 13 appearances.
Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images
Struggling to fire post-Christmas
On December 20, City thrashed West Ham 3-0 at the Etihad, and Haaland grabbed a brace.
It took him 19 Premier League goals for the season and meant he had scored five times in his last three City appearances.
In short, it continued the kind of blistering form he had produced since the campaign began.
But in the seven games since, Haaland has not hit top gear and in some games, he has not even come close.
A return of one goal in seven games – and that from the penalty spot in a 1-1 home draw against Brighton – has raised concerns about Haaland's form.
His last goal in open play was in that hammering of West Ham a month ago.
Gettyimages
DAZN News has all the information heading into Matchday 7.
Reasons behind Haaland's slump
The 25-year-old has played an awful lot of football for club and country this season – 35 games since mid-August to be precise.
Guardiola said last week that Haaland is exhausted, and he was certainly some way below his devastating best at Old Trafford on Saturday.
City were beaten 2-0 by Manchester United, and Haaland was substituted in the 80th minute, having made little impact on the game.
A time for a much-needed rest when City travel to Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League on Tuesday? Not likely.
Getty Images
Forced to soldier on
Omar Marmoush is not expected to be available for the trip to Norway after his recent exertions for Egypt in the Africa Cup of Nations.
New signing Antoine Semenyo is ineligible to face Bodo/Glimt, and so Haaland looks set to lead the line again.
Guardiola said: “Erling is going to play. He is so important for us.”
So, rather than rest as a means of rediscovering his mojo, Haaland looks set to be forced to play his way back into form.
Full Champions League fixture list for Matchday 7
Tuesday, 20 January
- Kairat Almaty vs. Club Brugge
- Bodo/Glimt vs. Manchester City
- Copenhagen vs. Napoli
- Inter vs. Arsenal
- Olympiakos vs. Bayer Leverkusen
- Real Madrid vs. Monaco
- Sporting vs. PSG
- Tottenham vs. Borussia Dortmund
- Villarreal vs. Ajax
Wednesday, 21 January
- Galatasaray vs. Atletico Madrid
- Qarabag vs. Eintracht Frankfurt
- Atalanta vs. Athletic Club
- Bayern Munich vs. Union Saint-Gilloise
- Chelsea vs. Pafos
- Juventus vs. Benfica
- Marseille vs. Liverpool
- Newcastle United vs. PSV
- Slavia Prague vs. Barcelona
How to watch Sporting vs. PSG in the USA on DAZN
Soccer fans in the US can watch Sporting vs. PSG in the Champions League in Spanish language as part of their DAZN subscription package.
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CBS has coverage of every Champions League match in English language this season. You can get more details and subscribe to CBS's Champions League coverage here.
Fans can watch extra Champions League games in Spanish on ViX. A selection of those matches are also available on UNIMÁS and TUDN.
How to watch the Champions League in New Zealand on DAZN
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An annual subscription costs $14.99 per month for 12 months and also provides access to 185 fight nights a year across boxing, MMA, PFL, BKFC, Glory and much more.
How to watch the Champions League in Canada on DAZN
Watch every game of the Champions League this season in Canada with a DAZN subscription.
There are three subscription options, each offering a different selection of sports. Access to every Champions League match is included in all three package offerings, ranging from $29.99 to $44.99 per month (for 12 months)
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