It is going to become a familiar sight this season: Kevin de Bruyne picking the ball up in the middle of the pitch, lifting his head and playing a defence-shredding pass through for Erling Haaland to race away from his markers and slot a clinical finish past a despairing goalkeeper.
Who said there is no place for a striker in a Pep Guardiola side? For Manchester City, the early evidence suggests the addition of a classic No 9 is not going to disrupt Guardiola’s passing machine. If anything the champions look even more dangerous with someone running in behind and, if there is a consolation for West Ham after they opened their campaign with a limp 2-0 defeat, it is that they will surely not be the last side to suffer against De Bruyne and Haaland.
