Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola hailed Erling Haaland as the “perfect person” to manage and said that the Norwegian striker could get even better after he was named Premier League Player of the Month for August on Friday.
The 22-year-old has bagged 10 goals in six league games as well as three in the Champions League since joining from Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund in the close season. “He is an exceptional striker. At the age that he is, his ambition, he wants to be better and will be better,” Guardiola told reporters ahead of the league trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.
“A perfect person (to manage), a nice guy. This is the most important thing. The quality he had before he came here, he has continued to do that.” The champions got the better of Wolves both times last term but Guardiola said that Bruno Lage’s side had been among their toughest opponents in recent seasons and he expected another test at the weekend.
“Completely different team to different seasons. They used to play five at the back... now with four. I’m really impressed with how they play, unpredictable. They have a lot of really good things,” he said.
“Centre backs, attack outside, inside, a lot of talent with (Ruben) Neves, (Goncalo) Guedes, (Joao) Moutinho. They’re competitors. We have to be prepared. We have to mentally prepare.” Wolves, 14th in the standings with six points from as many games, trail second-placed City by eight points.
City defender Aymeric Laporte, who hasn’t featured this season following knee surgery, is back in training while right back Kyle Walker is a doubt for Saturday.
Wolves bank on Costa
Diego Costa will help Wolverhampton Wanderers toughen up and win duels on the pitch thanks to the Spanish striker’s aggression and physicality, manager Bruno Lage said on Friday. Wolves signed former Chelsea striker Costa on a free transfer. When asked if his side had been too nice in the past and whether Costa would change that, Lage said: “That’s a good point. If you want to press and be more aggressive, sometimes you cannot be too nice.”
Uncapped teen gets call-up
Belgium coach Roberto Martinez has named uncapped teenager Zeno Debast in a 30-man squad for this month’s Nations League matches against Wales and the Netherlands. The 18-year-old Anderlecht central defender is the only newcomer but Martinez said his inclusion should not be considered a surprise.
“It is no surprise because of the impressive way he has started the season,” he told a news conference on Friday.
“The progression of a player is linked to what they do at club level and he has been a very impressive player with a huge role. Then you stop looking at the age and rather look at his potential,” the coach added.
Top scorer Romelu Lukaku misses out because of injury but Martinez said he had no concerns over the Inter Milan striker’s availability for the World Cup in November. Kamara comes in Aston Villa midfielder Boubacar Kamara has been called up for France’s Nations League matches as a replacement for the injured Adrien Rabiot. France play Austria on September 22 and then travel to Copenhagen to take on Denmark.
