Dean Smith’s exile from the Premier League only spanned 11 months but, within half an hour of his return, he received first-hand evidence of two fundamental differences from the division he departed when Norwich were relegated. Sadly for him, one is that Leicester City, a top-half team then, are in grave danger of the drop now. The other, which will not be his concern for the remainder of the campaign, is that Erling Haaland is a phenomenon.
More frugal sides than Leicester, who have the Premier League’s second-worst defensive record, can testify to that. Smith’s debut was another day at the office for the Norwegian: a double took his recent tally to 13 goals in five games, his career for Manchester City to 47 in 40. A ticket at the Etihad Stadium almost comes with a guarantee of a Haaland goal and, as there are so many of them, the prospect of a milestone in the process.
He has 32 in the top flight, equalling Mohamed Salah’s record in a 38-game Premier League season. Consider some of the other striking greats in the division’s history and the achievement stands out; so, too, how effortless and inevitable it has felt. The overall best, of 34, set by Alan Shearer and Andy Cole, will soon be overhauled. Those 47 in all competitions beat Denis Law’s 46, the best ever for a Manchester club, and matched Ian Rush’s most productive year for Liverpool. If the Premier League title comes down to goal difference, the trophy is likely to remain in Manchester. And, in turn, that will reflect Haaland’s insatiable appetite for goals. His second against Leicester highlighted the extra dimension he has given the reigning champions, with his ability to run in behind defences.
The reason he hasn’t already brought up a personal half-century is that Pep Guardiola keeps substituting him: he has only completed 90 minutes in one of those last five games and departed after 45 this time, denying him a seventh hat-trick of the campaign. Tuesday’s rematch with Bayern took priority: City’s 10th successive victory was already secured; get eight more in the Premier League and the title beckons.
When he went off, it was in a double substitution that spared Leicester a trial by both scorers. And, maybe because Haaland’s strikes are so predictable, the biggest cheer came for the other strike. These days John Stones is the player saluted in song most at the Etihad, more than Haaland or Kevin de Bruyne. The choruses of Stones’ name were ringing around the Etihad even before a strike so sweet it seemed to surprise even the scorer.
He has proved the master of many a trade of late, in a unique role that entails being both a right-back and a holding midfielder, while he showed his excellence in the middle of the defence for much of Tuesday’s win over Bayern Munich. But he has also been both assister – for Haaland’s goal against Bayern – and finisher. He hooked in a half-volley from the edge of the box; the celebrations showed the rarity of it. They were shared in the stands. Appreciation has not come quickly for Stones – in an awkward start to his City career, Jamie Vardy scored a hat-trick for Leicester and Guardiola produced his infamous statement that he was not a “coach for the tackles” – but he has been taken to hearts now.
Haaland has made a swifter impact. A seventh brace of the season, quite apart from his hat-tricks, came quickly. Jack Grealish was irrepressible as he faced the manager who made him Villa captain. His cross was handled by Wilfred Ndidi and, after referee Darren England reviewed the incident on the monitor, Haaland drilled the penalty under Daniel Iversen. Then, after Ndidi lost the ball, his second was dinked over Iversen after he charged on to De Bruyne’s pass. Leicester were opened up too easily.
And yet Smith had begun intent on containment at a ground where Leicester won 5-2 and lost 6-3 on their previous two trips. He played five at the back and his new side conceded inside five minutes. If the aim was to limit the damage, Leicester were still two adrift after 13, three behind within 25. It was not tactics that saved them from a hammering, however, as much as the fixture list. The proximity of the Bayern second leg made Guardiola take mercy: Rodri, De Bruyne and Grealish went off in the second half. The Spaniard’s early exit afforded Kalvin Phillips his longest outing in the league since he was a Leeds player. It did not go well: complacency almost facilitated a comeback as City were mediocre in the second half.
Leicester won it, with a glimpse of the attacking talent that could yet be their salvation. The substitute Kelechi Iheanacho scored the rebound after Ederson parried Harry Souttar’s header. When Aymeric Laporte sloppily gave the ball to James Maddison, Ederson had to make a fine save. When Maddison whipped in a pass worthy of De Bruyne, Iheanacho hit the post. They were three golden chances, but City’s trio of goals condemned Smith to a losing start.
