‘That is a lie’ - Ederson rubbishes Haaland-Man City claim

Critics have taken aim at Man City’s leading goalscorer amid the club’s struggles to pull clear in the Premier League title race.

Suggestions that Erling Haaland only scores ‘easy’ goals are a ‘lie’, according to Manchester City teammate Ederson.

The 22-year-old striker has lit up the scoring charts since his €60 million arrival from Borussia Dortmund last summer. In 31 games across all competitions, he has scored 32 goals for City.

Yet, while 26 of Haaland’s goals have come in the Premier League, City are second in the standings. They trail leaders Arsenal by two points, having played one more game. This has led to claims Haaland may not be the right striker for the club. In fact, Arsenal legend Thierry Henry recently suggested Tottenham’s Harry Kane might be a better fit.

“When he arrived, we said he was going to score a lot – and that’s been happening. He is a brilliant goalscorer, he always looks to score and help the team,” Ederson told UEFA.com.

“He is the striker we needed because, in comparison to Gabriel [Jesus], they are different players. Gabi likes to come in from out wide, he is stronger and more versatile. Haaland plays more centrally, looking to get into the box, he is a target in the area.

“That has been the major difference. When you get into the final third, you have someone who will always be in the area.

“Many people say most of the goals he scores are easy – but that is a lie. It’s his positioning – that’s his best ability. He doesn’t score easy goals, he positions himself very well.

“I hope he continues to score many goals, making us happy and we’ll keep working together for all the titles.”