ليفربول إيكو عن أداء محمد صلاح أمام مانشستر يونايتد: كان مُستمتعًا وأكثر حيوية

تعرض ليفربول للهزيمة الرابعة على التوالي، وذلك لأول مرة منذ ما يقرب من 11 عامًا، حيث تعثر الريدز بطريقة مخيبة للآمال أمام مانشستر يونايتد بهدفين لهدف واحد.

وسجل هاري ماجواير هدف فوز مانشستر يونايتد في الدقائق الأخيرة بعد أن كان قد تعادل كودي جاكبو لصالح ليفربول أمام الشياطين الحمر، الذين افتتحوا التسجيل عن طريق بريان مبيومو في الدقيقة الثانية فقط.

وبهذه النتيجة يكون ليفربول قد خسر ثلاث مباريات متتالية في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، بعد أن تعرض لهزيمة أخرى في دوري أبطال أوروبا أمام جالطة سراي التركي.

اقرأ أيضاً.. شبكة إنجليزية عن استبدال سلوت لـ محمد صلاح أمام مانشستر يونايتد: يدل على شيء ما

وأجرت شبكة “ليفربول إيكو” البريطانية تقييمًا لأداء اللاعبين بعد انتهاء مباراة ليفربول ومانشستر يونايتد، ويعد محمد صلاح من بين اللاعبين الذين شاركوا في المباراة بشكل أساسي منذ بداية اللقاء.

وحصل محمد صلاح على تقييم 6 من 10 في المباراة، وذكرت الشبكة عنه بعد اللقاء: “لقد أصبح أكثر حيوية من الفترة الأخيرة واستمتع بمنافسته ضد شاو ودالوت، وصنع فرصة واحدة لجاكبو لكن رأسيته تصدى لها الحارس”.

وكان سلوت قد استبدل محمد صلاح حيث دخل بدلاً منه الظهير جيريمي فريمبونج في الدقيقة 85 من أحداث الشوط الثاني من اللقاء.

Mohamed Salah's work ethic for Liverpool against Chelsea savaged by Wayne Rooney as Man Utd legend makes Cristiano Ronaldo point

As Liverpool lost a third successive game across all competitions, Premier League legend Wayne Rooney accused Reds talisman Mohamed Salah of "watching" Conor Bradley get torn apart by Chelsea behind him and doing very little to help. Last season, Salah openly praised Liverpool boss Arne Slot for taking away the defensive responsibility that Jurgen Klopp had previously insisted on.

'I would question Salah's work ethic'

On the latest episode of across BBC platforms, Rooney suggested that Salah should be doing more work off the ball that benefits the team around him.

Right-back Bradley was often isolated, eventually withdrawn at half-time as Slot shuffled his team.

"We know he doesn't always get back and defend as much, but in the Chelsea game his full-back was getting torn apart and he was watching," Rooney said of Salah, calling on others to drill it into the Egyptian superstar that he needs to be doing more.

"He's not getting back and helping, and players like [Virgil] Van Dijk and the leaders in the dressing room should be telling him, 'you need to help out'," Rooney continued.

"That was a worry and I think he has looked a bit lost over the last week. When it's going well and you're scoring goals and winning games it's great and the team will put up with that but, over the last week, I would question his work ethic. I think when you get a bit older as well, Slot maybe could have looked at that and thought, 'Chelsea are killing us down the side'."

AdvertisementAFPRonaldo example could fix Liverpool's Salah problem

Liverpool have been defensively poor so far this season, conceding nine goals in seven Premier League games. If teams can consistently exploit a weakness down the right flank, with Salah failing to sufficiently protect Bradley, or Jeremie Frimpong, those problems could worsen.

Rooney's proposed solution is to mimic how Sir Alex Ferguson found a workaround with Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United.

"Move [Salah] inside and move [Florian] Wirtz out there [to the right] and still have that work ethic in there and the brilliance of Salah to try and score goals. The best managers see that and adjust," Rooney explained, calling on Slot to identify and resolve the issue.

"I'm not saying you leave him out of the team. We had that with Ronaldo at Manchester United who similarly wouldn't track back so Fergie moves him inside, so you still have the balance of the team and the work getting done. He moves him inside so he is still on the pitch because he's always got a chance of scoring goals and winning games."

Salah glad about diminished defensive duties

In what could have been perceived as a dig at former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, Salah thanked Slot for "listening" to his request to do less defending than he had to before, when speaking towards the end of last season about his redefined role in the team.

The 33-year-old claimed his 57 goals and assists across all competitions in 2024-25 were a direct result of Slot's differing approach and willingness to allow him to largely disregard defensive duties.

"You can see the numbers. Now I don't have to defend much. The tactics are quite different. I said 'as long as you rest me defensively I will provide offensively', so I am glad that I did," Salah explained at the time.

"He listened a lot and you can see the numbers. When you play in the Premier League you have to defend but I said that I can gamble and somehow I can make a difference. My number of assists shows that you can create chances as well."

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Getty Images SportIs Salah still justified for not defending?

If Salah's excuse for not willingly defending in order to preserve himself to attack, his numbers in the early weeks of 2025-26 are disappointing. It's just three goals in 10 appearances across all competitions so far, with a further three assists, not the kind of return that would make a team essentially defending with only 10 players worthwhile. In the Premier League alone, Salah has found the net just once in his last six appearances.

Liverpool will have to play without Salah for several matches over the Christmas period, with the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations starting on December 21 and running into the latter half of January. If Egypt go the distance, Salah could be missing for up to 10 games across four competitions. It would be sickening for Salah if Liverpool's team balance is better without him.

Avesh Khan cleared to join Lucknow Super Giants

In welcome news for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), fast bowler Avesh Khan has been cleared by the BCCI to take part in IPL 2025. ESPNcricinfo has learned that Avesh, who had been dealing with a problem in his right knee, got the go-ahead from the BCCI medical staff this week and will soon join the LSG squad.Avesh has not played since late January – his last India appearance was in November last year in a T20I in South Africa – and even missed Madhya Pradesh’s final league match of the Ranji Trophy. It is understood that he was experiencing discomfort in his right knee, which was related to his workload during the domestic season.He had been doing his rehab at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, where, it is understood, he went through one of his final fitness tests on Monday.Related

  • Pant after LSG's defeat: 'Think we had enough runs on the board'

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Avesh linked up with the LSG squad on Wednesday, and he is expected to be available for selection for their next match, their second away contest, on March 27 against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Hyderabad. LSG lost their first match of the season on Monday to Delhi Capitals (DC) in Visakhapatnam.LSG have been saddled with injury issues to all their primary Indian fast bowlers. Mayank Yadav, who is recovering from a lumbar stress injury, recently picked up a toe injury, too, while India and Bengal quick Akash Deep is yet to regain full fitness after the back injury he picked up on the Test tour of Australia. Uttar Pradesh left-arm fast bowler Mohsin Khan has already been ruled out of IPL 2025 – and replaced by Shardul Thakur – as he is yet to recover from the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear he suffered last December.

Man Utd had a "special" Zidane-esque CM who Scholes compared to Gerrard

Manchester United once had a Zinedine Zidane-esque midfielder, who legendary Red Devils midfielder Paul Scholes compared to Liverpool icon Steven Gerrard.

Man Utd looking to sign new midfielder in January

After missing out on a new central midfielder during the 2025 summer transfer window, Man United have set their sights on signing one in January, and a number of potential targets have already been identified.

Target

Current club

Potential cost

Carlos Baleba

Brighton

£115m

Adam Wharton

Crystal Palace

£50m+

Conor Gallagher

Atletico Madrid

£45m

Elliot Anderson

Nottingham Forest

Unknown

There are clear indications that Ruben Amorim needs to bolster his options in the engine room, with Scholes suggesting Bruno Fernandes isn’t cut out to be a central midfielder, while also singling Casemiro out for criticism.

The 50-year-old said: “Fernandes [and Casemiro], they’re the two he’s [Amorim] going with, and Fernandes for me, he’s someone who fills in as a midfielder, he might get away with it for one, two or three games. He’s not got the discipline to be a central midfield player.”

“Bringing two No.10s (Cunha and Mbeumo) was that really necessary? You think you’ve got Mason Mount, Kobbie Mainoo can do that.”

Man Utd now eyeing January move for "unbelievable" £47m Baleba alternative

The Red Devils are looking to sign a central midfielder, who could be perfect for Ruben Amorim.

1 ByDominic Lund Sep 10, 2025

Having arguably gotten their priorities wrong in the summer, United look poised to make a move for a new central midfielder this winter, and they will be hoping the new signing can eclipse Paul Pogba’s achievements, with the Frenchman leaving on a free back in 2022.

Pogba’s career at United didn’t pan out the way anyone was hoping, but he received extremely high praise not long after returning to Old Trafford, with Gianluigi Buffon saying:

Scholes was also a keen admirer of the central midfielder, saying:

Pogba had the talent to be an all-time great

The 32-year-old’s time at Old Trafford was by no means a complete failure, having won two EFL Cups and the 2016-17 Europa League, but there is no doubt that the midfielder didn’t manage to hit the heights expected of him.

Given how highly the 91-time France international was rated by Scholes and Buffon, he had the ability to become an all-time great for Man United, but things didn’t work out that way, arguably due to his attitude, which Graeme Souness regularly criticised.

Souness said: “Paul Pogba plays for himself, it’s all about how cool he looks, showing us how clever he is. I reckon Pogba’s only in the team to maintain his transfer value until United can sell him, because he doesn’t merit his place for any other reason.”

With Pogba’s doping ban over, the former United man arguably has one last chance to get his career back on track, having now signed for AS Monaco on a two-year deal.

Harshal, Cummins capitalise on dry pitch to keep CSK down

Brevis looked good for his 42 but there were no other significant contributions from CSK’s batters

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Apr-20253:11

Did CSK get it wrong at the auction?

An impressive CSK debut for Dewald Brevis, Ayush Mhatre’s good start in his second game, were not enough to drag Chennai Super Kings out of the mire. Winning only their third toss of the year, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) capitalised on a dry pitch in their bid to beat CSK in Chennai for the first time and also get their own campaign back on track after just two wins in eight matches. CSK’s 154 was their third-lowest total of the season.Harshal Patel tested the middle of the pitch better than the others and ended up with analysis of 4-0-28-4. Pat Cummins got the wicket of the dangerous-looking Mhatre and topped it up with two boundaryless overs in the 16th and the 18th, ending up with figures of 4-0-21-2. Kamindu Mendis wowed people again with his ambidextrous bowling, taking Ravindra Jadeja’s wicket and then removing Brevis with a sensational catch at long-off.Mhatre got CSK off to one of their more enterprising starts despite a first-ball dismissal of Shaik Rasheed, but SRH were quick to start bowling into the pitch. Only Brevis rose above the conditions and the bowling, hitting four sixes in his 42 off 25. That included three sixes in Kamindu’s third over after he had not been hit for any boundary in his first two.Related

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Jadeja in no-man's land as CSK's plans just won't work

Brevis was looking dangerous when he hit a slower bouncer over extra cover for six, but when he smashed a shot flat off a slot ball from Harshal, Kamindu dived to his left at long-off, got both his hands to the ball and caught it behind his body.After Brevis’ dismissal, the SRH bowlers turned the screw in with their tall bowlers banging the ball into the pitch. Jaydev Unadkat got Shivam Dube, and Harshal sent back MS Dhoni. Hooda added 17 for the last wicket with Khaleel Ahmed, but it wasn’t quite the finishing kick they needed.

Did Axar get his choice of bowlers at the death wrong?

“When you have 18-19 runs to defend in the last two overs, you give the 19th over to your best bowler,” Anil Kumble says

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Apr-20252:38

Can RCB and DC both finish in the top four?

Axar Patel has been getting positive reviews for his leadership in his debut season as captain in the IPL, but did he get it wrong against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Sunday night? RCB had the upper hand against Delhi Capitals (DC) as the match neared its closing stages but, as Anil Kumble, Wasim Jaffer and Sanjay Bangar pointed out after the game, shuffling the order of the bowler Axar used at the death might have made a difference.When the 17th over started, RCB needed 38 runs from 24 balls. Quite simple, ordinarily, but this wasn’t a pitch where run-scoring was easy. Mukesh Kumar bowled, and Krunal Pandya and Virat Kohli took 12 off him. Dushmantha Chameera gave away nine off the next. And then it was suddenly all over as Mukesh was hit for 6, 4, 4, 4 in the 19th by Tim David. Mitchell Starc had an over left. And Vipraj Nigam had bowled just one.”I don’t know [what DC were thinking]. When you have 18-19 runs [the requirement was 17 from two overs] to defend in the last two overs, you give the 19th over to your best bowler, to take it till the end,” Kumble said on ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out show. “I was surprised that he gave the ball to Mukesh and not Starc. The result might have been the same, but the intent was wrong.”Related

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The intent was likely to give Starc eight-nine runs to defend off the last over, perhaps because of what he had achieved in that thriller against Rajasthan Royals (RR).”It must be the hangover from the [game against RR]. Axar must have thought that since Starc had defended nine runs in that last over, so let’s give this to Mukesh and see,” Bangar said. “It might have worked, but the thought process was wrong. Your best bowler should have bowled that over. Even if Starc had conceded, say, 12 runs, you have a legspinner [Nigam] for the last over if you don’t want to bowl Mukesh. Spinners sometimes create magical moments. It was a mistake on Axar’s part.”Was there a lack of faith in Nigam’s abilities, perhaps? Nigam is a newbie, but hasn’t done badly in his debut season for DC, with nine wickets so far at an economy rate of 9.34. But in nine games, he has bowled only 23 overs out of a possible 36. The left-handed and in-form Krunal’s presence in the middle might have forced Axar to ignore the legspinner.”I felt he [Axar] didn’t show enough trust in Vipraj,” Jaffer said. “Maybe he could have been given two-three overs too. Maybe it could have had an effect. Because at that stage [if a wicket had fallen], two overseas batters [David and Romario Shepherd] would have been there and they might have found it tough. Jitesh [Sharma] was the main batter left then.”Fortunately for DC, the loss hasn’t pushed them out of the race for the playoffs. They are still at No. 4 with six wins out of nine. Their next three games are against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) – the first two are among the bottom-four teams on the table, and PBKS have also been up and down, so DC would back themselves to win more often than they lose before their last two games, tough assignments against Mumbai Indians (MI) and Gujarat Titans (GT).

Ethan Nwaneri the 'star of the show' and Jamie Gittens scores a beauty as England Under-21s earn impressive win in Moldova

Ethan Nwaneri produced a scintillating performance to help England Under-21s secure an impressive 4-0 victory over Moldova in a European Championship qualifier. The Arsenal attacking midfielder recorded two assists on the night, including setting up a stunning effort from Chelsea winger Jamie Gittens, as the Three Lions maintained their perfect record in qualifying after two matches.

  • Nwaneri sets up Gittens' stunning first-half strike

    Operating with plenty of freedom as a number 10, Nwaneri played a crucial role as England broke the deadlock after 28 minutes. The 18-year-old attracted two Moldova players as he made a brilliant run before offloading the ball to Gittens, who cut inside and found the bottom corner with a fantastic strike. It was Gittens’ first U21s goal since scoring in his side’s 7-0 thrashing of Luxembourg back in March 2024.

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  • Arsenal youngster plays key role in England's next two goals

    And Nwaneri picked up where he left off after the half-time interval, playing a delightful pass through to Manchester City striker Divin Mubama who doubled England’s lead after 68 minutes. Nwaneri was involved yet again moments later as another clever through ball found Fulham midfielder Josh King, who was brought down inside the area for a penalty. Mubama was given the responsibility for the spot-kick and he coolly slotted the ball home to make it 3-0 to the visitors, who then added a fourth late on through City defender Rico Lewis.

  • Getty Images Sport

    Victory over Moldova sees England maintain perfect record

    The victory over Moldova ensured England kept up their perfect record in qualification for the European Championship, having beaten Kazakhstan U21s 2-0 in their opening fixture in September. Lee Carsley’s side briefly topped Group D following the win over Moldova but the 2-2 draw between the Republic of Ireland and Slovakia saw both sides move above them. They have played one game more than England, however.

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  • Nwaneri hoping England form leads to more Arsenal minutes

    Nwaneri will be hoping his fine form during the international break will help him secure more first-team minutes at Arsenal. The youngster has found opportunities hard to come by in 2025-26, having been an unused substitute in five of Arsenal’s 10 fixtures in all competitions this season. However, with Martin Odegaard having sustained a knee injury in the Gunners’ 2-0 Premier League victory over West Ham before the international break, manager Mikel Arteta will be considering who is best placed to replace his captain when his side return to action against Fulham on Saturday, 18 October. And Nwaneri has done his chances no harm after starring in a midfield role in England U21s’ win over Moldova, with many believing he is better when deployed in the middle of the park rather than out wide.

West Ham now open talks with "tactically astute" manager to replace Potter

West Ham United have now opened talks with a “tactically astute” manager, who could replace Graham Potter.

Potter under pressure after Crystal Palace defeat

It has been far from the ideal start to the Premier League season for West Ham, with Potter’s side currently sitting in the relegation zone, after losing four of their opening five games, and the manager is now under significant pressure.

Following the 2-1 loss at home against Crystal Palace on Saturday, there have been widespread reports suggesting the 50-year-old could be replaced as manager, after admitting he was disappointed with his side’s performance against the Eagles.

Potter said: “It’s this level and at the moment it’s not enough and we have to face up to that.

“We have to do more, we have to work harder, we have to find a solution to it. We have to be more stable defensively and offensively and find more ways to look stronger as a team. That’s where the work is now.”

West Ham hold talks with title-winning ex-Tottenham manager to replace Potter

The Englishman’s future is very uncertain after a poor start to 25/26.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Sep 20, 2025

Even prior to the defeat against Palace, the board were weighing up potential replacements for Potter, with Slaven Bilic and Nuno Espirito Santo named among the targets, and a new report has revealed that another manager is also being targeted.

According to a report from The Boot Room, West Ham have held talks with former Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Gary O’Neil this week, as they begin to prepare for life after Potter.

The report, which was released before Saturday’s game, states the Hammers’ hierarchy were planning to sack their current manager if they lost against Crystal Palace, which suggests it may be a matter of time before he departs.

Explaining the situation further, transfer expert Graeme Bailey adds: “West Ham are talking to other managers, and this tells us in recent history this is really bad news for Potter.

“It happened with Lopetegui and Moyes before him. Hammers’ sources are not pushing back; they can’t, as people know it is happening. It’s going to take some effort for Potter to remain in charge of the club.”

O'Neil would be risky appointment for West Ham

It is starting to look like the Hammers need to part ways with Potter, given that the manager has averaged just 0.92 points per match since his arrival, but there are doubts over whether O’Neil would be a savvy replacement.

The 42-year-old is still relatively inexperienced, having managed AFC Bournemouth for less than one full season, while he was also dismissed by Wolves last December, at which point the Old Gold were four points from safety.

The former Bournemouth boss has received some praise from a fellow manager, with Eddie Howe branding him “tactically astute”, but he would be a risky appointment, at a time when West Ham securing Premier League safety is paramount.

As such, Nuno may be a better appointment, having led Nottingham Forest to Europe last season, so it is promising news that West Ham are also in for the 51-year-old.

Not Barry or Beto: Moyes has a "game-changer" who's Everton's new Lukaku

After losing Dominic Calvert-Lewin on a free transfer over the summer, Everton will be hoping that Beto and new signing Thierno Barry can provide them with a rich source of goals. Already, Beto is off the mark this season, having bagged in the 3-2 win away to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

As for Barry, he is only a young player, so there should be far less pressure put on him. Yet, the Frenchman is a talented centre-forward who scored 11 goals in 35 La Liga games for Villarreal last term. He can certainly become a top-level striker in the future.

David Moyes would surely love for the strikers to have the same impact at Everton as Romelu Lukaku did.

The numbers behind Lukaku’s Everton success

Initially a loan move before the Toffees made it permanent, Lukaku’s time at Everton was excellent. He lit up Goodison Park for four seasons before joining Manchester United after the stellar performances he put in.

In 166 games for the Merseysiders, he found the back of the net 87 times and chipped in with 27 assists. His minutes-per-goal ratio was strong, too. The Belgian scored once every 160 minutes in an Everton shirt.

Although the weight of goals he scored only increased the further into his career at Goodison Park, it was that initial loan spell in 2013/14 that really showed how much of a success he could be at the club.

In his first campaign as a Toffee, Lukaku bagged 15 Premier League goals and assisted seven more in 31 games, and also scored in his only FA Cup appearance that season.

Averaging 0.7 goal involvements per game was certainly a strong start to life on Merseyside.

Whilst, overall, Moyes would love his two centre-forwards to recreate Lukaku’s impact at Everton, there might be another loan star who could add similar firepower to the Belgian in his debut season over a decade ago.

Why Jack Grealish is Everton’s new Lukaku

It was a hectic summer transfer window for Everton, who secured several new signings to bolster Moyes’ squad. Of course, they brought Barry to the club and permanently signed the likes of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

However, the marquee signing this summer for the Toffees was surely Jack Grealish. The England international signed on loan from Manchester City and has made an incredible start to life at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

In his two Premier League starts so far, the 30-year-old has already assisted four goals.

Two of those came in the 2-0 win over Brighton and Hove Albion, with the other couple away to Wolves, including a pass that set Beto up.

Well, Everton’s supporters have certainly taken to Grealish well, although given the start he has made, that isn’t much of a surprise. Toffees supporter and tactical analyst Matt Smith said he has been a “game changer” so far.

Looking at the match stats from the games against Brighton and Wolves highlights Grealish’s impact so far. In both matches, he created three chances apiece, and away to the Old Gold, his off-the-ball work was clear to see. The 30-year-old won 13 duels at Molineux.

Grealish vs Brighton & Wolves

Stat

Brighton

Wolves

Touches

57

61

Passes completed

29/35

33/36

Ground duels won

5

13

Tackles won

3

1

Key passes

3

3

Assists

2

2

Stats from Sofascore

Just a handful of games into his Everton career, it is easy to see how Grealish can replicate Lukaku’s impact on loan as the Toffees’ newest talisman. The Belgian striker added firepower in attacking areas through goals and assists, and already, Grealish is doing the same thing.

The fact that Moyes has potentially uncovered Everton’s new Lukaku, in that sense, will be a huge benefit for the club. Life at the Hill Dickinson Stadium could not have started any better for Grealish, and he’d surely love to continue this form.

Friedkin must sell "really poor" Everton star who earns more than Ndiaye

Everton might be better off cutting their losses with one high earner…

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Joe Nuttall

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Explained: Why Man City goal machine Erling Haaland has been released early from international duty with Norway

In-form striker Erling Haaland is on his way back to Manchester City after the Norwegian Football Association announced he has been released from international duty. Fresh from scoring a hat-trick to help his country take a major step towards qualifying for next summer's World Cup, the 25-year-old will not feature when Stale Solbakken’s men take on New Zealand in an international friendly.

Haaland's hat-trick puts Norway on brink of 2026 World Cup

Haaland carried his remarkable club form with City onto the international stage as he played a starring role in Norway’s 5-0 victory over Israel on Saturday. The forward scored a hat-trick to put his nation on the brink of qualifying for their first World Cup since 1998, having also been denied twice from the penalty spot by goalkeeper Daniel Peretz. It was the 10th game in a row for club and country in which Haaland has scored, having found the net in all but one of his 12 appearances for City and Norway in 2025-26.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportCity striker is currently the Premier League's top goalscorer

Haaland has also been in excellent goalscoring form for City this term. The former Borussia Dortmund man has scored 12 goals in nine games for Pep Guardiola’s side, with nine of them coming in the Premier League. He is currently the leading goalscorer in the English top flight – three ahead of second-placed Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo, who has netted six times.

Norwegian FA issue statement saying Haaland has been released

However, Haaland will play no part in Norway’s international friendly with New Zealand on Tuesday, 14 October after being released earlier than expected. The Norwegian FA said in a statement: "Sebastian Sebulonsen is in the Norwegian national team squad, he and Sverre Nypan are participating in today's training.

"Players with particularly tight match schedules are returning home: Alexander Sorloth, Julian Ryerson, Erling Braut Haaland and Fredrik Bjorkan. Felix Horn Myhre is leaving the squad due to a sore ankle.”

The news comes as a boost to City as they look to Haaland to maintain their fine form when the Premier League returns next weekend. Guardiola’s side are currently unbeaten in their last seven games in all competitions, securing league victories over Manchester United, Burnley and Brentford. City also took four points from their first two Champions League games after defeating Napoli before drawing with Monaco.

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Ex-Dortmund man credits birth of his son as giving him extra motivation

When asked to put his finger on why he has been in such strong goalscoring form in 2025-26, Haaland credited the birth of his son as giving him extra motivation on the pitch. Asked if he is currently in the best form of his career following City’s win over Brentford, Haaland told “You can say so, I’ve never felt better than I do now. I think it’s about preparation first of all, getting ready for the games and I spoke so many times about it before, you can be physically ready but you need to be mentally ready as well.

“To be honest with a kid I think it makes me even better because I actually disconnect more than ever, I don’t think about football at all. Sometimes when you’re younger you think of this and that and maybe worry a little bit about things. But now when I go home I relax even more so I think I need to give a shout out to my son.”

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