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.
