Erling Haaland will struggle more for Manchester City in the Premier League than Champions League because they’re on the front foot rather than the counter attack.
That’s according to Rafael van der Vaart, who believes that the striker is more suited to a counter attacking game than anything else.
Haaland has been a revelation since arriving at Manchester City in the summer, scoring 32 goals in 32 games in all competitions so far, with 26 in 23 in the Premier League.
He quickly put to bed any doubts about his ability to adapt to life in the Premier League, bagging a double on his debut and hattricks against the likes of Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest, Wolves and Manchester United.
The goals have not been flowing as frequently as they once were in recent weeks, though, with just one goal in his last four games in the league.
That has led to debate about whether Manchester City and Haaland are well suited given City play more of a possession game, something which can often leave the striker out of the action.
Van der Vaart certainly thinks in a similar way, claiming that Haaland may be more useful when his side aren’t the favourites.
“I thought at Manchester City that he would never score that many, but he still proves the opposite,” he told Ziggo Sport, relayed by Voetbal Primeur.
“But remember Cruyff once said about Zlatan: ‘For a good player he has a bad technique and for a bad player he has a good technique.’ I have a bit of that with him too.
“Then I sit and watch and I’m not devastated, but when you see him score those goals you think what an athlete.
“I think if you play with him against Bayern Munich, a team that is dominant and has the ball a lot, then with him on the counter you do have more of a chance. So I think in the Champions League a bigger chance, but I think in the Premier League they struggle more.”
