MY ACCOUNT
Kevin De Bruyne feels Erling Haaland must continue to adapt to the Premier League with Manchester City, while hailing the forward’s efforts against Bournemouth on Saturday.
The Norway international teed up an opening assist for Ilkay Gundogan in a 4-0 victory at the Etihad Stadium, but otherwise struggled to influence proceedings.
Even as De Bruyne and Phil Foden added further goals, Haaland cut a peripheral figure for the hosts, and ultimately had just eight touches throughout the entire match.
De Bruyne still feels that the Leeds-born attacker is bedding into life in a different league, however, pointing to the differences between the English top flight and the Bundesliga, where Haaland has arrived from.
“He played really well,” the Belgian said. “Obviously, it’s so tight. I don’t think in Germany, he played a lot of games where teams were so defensively narrow, so it is something he will have to adapt to.
“With Gundogan, he finds him perfectly, and he set us up for the win. If he plays that way, he will be good.”
Haaland scored two goals on his Premier League debut against West Ham last week, having drawn a blank in City’s Community Shield defeat to Liverpool on his competitive club debut.
Pep Guardiola’s side head to Newcastle United on August 21, looking to make it three wins from three as they continue to mount their title defence.
