Manchester United offer Man City and Erling Haaland perfect chance to regain lost strength

When Erling Haaland slapped home Sergio Gomez's cross to complete Manchester United's misery at the Etihad last season, notice was served around the world of a new force in world football.

Haaland's hat-trick in a third consecutive Premier League game - one of many records he would go on to set in his first year in English football - confirmed that anyone turning up at the Etihad was in for a very different experience. Haaland had made the place his home, and the Blues had a new weapon to destroy opposition teams.

City's ground, still the subject of boring and ill-informed comments about their attendance, became crucial to winning the Treble. As spring hit, Liverpool, Arsenal and Real Madrid were smashed for four and Bayern Munich went for three; the best in world football could not cope with the Etihad.

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Guardiola press conference as it happened

This year, both Haaland and City have dropped off. The Norwegian only has as many goals (nine) from 11 league appearances as he had from four after stepping off the pitch against United at the beginning of October 2022. With their star striker less potent - and injured for two months - aside from one treble against Bournemouth there has not been the same sense of potential destruction every time they head out onto the pitch.

Pep Guardiola's side have struggled more as a result, with Tottenham, Liverpool, Chelsea and Palace all leaving Manchester with a point to their name. That is already three more points dropped than across the whole of last season, while they are also averaging one less goal per home game.

City's ground is set to play a central role in their title run-in. After United, they host Arsenal and Aston Villa