Pep Guardiola Explains Why Erling Haaland’s Goal Blitz Hinges on Kevin De Bruyne’s Support Following 5-Goal Haul

Erling Haaland racked up 5 goals against Luton Town in the FA Cup! This is the second instance a player has done so under Pep Guardiola since Robert Lewandoski against Wolfsburg in 2015. Yet, the towering Norwegian can’t do it all alone and needs the support of his teammates, particularly the genius of Kevin De Bruyne, as per Guardiola. And he seems spot on!

KDB & Erling Haaland combined for 4 goals out of the 6 goals Manchester City scored on the night. The Spaniard revealed how the connection benefits his striker. He explained, “I think Erling needs a guy who has vision, the quality, you know the generosity. So Kevin is the less selfish player in front of goal, if he cannot score another one, he would do it.” Likewise, Guardiola also revealed that KDB benefits from having a player like Haaland ahead of him.

He revealed, “Kevin needs the movement from Erling.” The importance of the superstar duo to the Man City team can be understood by the fact that their injuries resulted in the Sky Blues finding themselves 3rd in the Premier League. The injury to KDB, who was sidelined from August to January, also affected Erling Haaland’s game and the striker has 17 league goals this season, a far cry from his staggering 36 last time around.

Read More: Eden Hazard Predicts Erling Haaland to Break Cristiano Ronaldo’s Monumental Goal-Scoring Record

Moreover, it’s not just Guardiola who recognizes that the 32-year-old improves the Norwegian ace. In fact, Erling Haaland himself revealed that Kevin De Bruyne offers himself something the rest of his teammates can’t.

Erling Haaland reveals that KDB can give him the ‘perfect pass’

Kevin De Bruyne’s passing is so good, that it sometimes looks like straight out of a video game. Erling Haaland is the latest in a long list to pay compliments to the Belgian wizard. The striker revealed, “With Kevin De Bruyne, I know I’m going to get it [the pass] perfect. Nothing bad about the others, but that’s a small difference. You know the ball is going to go.”

Moreover, as per the 23-year-old, this has been a characteristic of the Belgian’s play for a long time. He explained, “It’s mostly natural… I saw for many years where he plays the ball, and he hasn’t changed for the last five years where he plays the ball. For me, it was to come in and finish those actions.” It’s not a coincidence that KDB’s return resulted in Erling Haaland finding his best form of the season.

Can the duo combine and help Manchester City win an unprecedented 4th consecutive Premier League title? Tell us in the comments below.

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