At first glance, the prospect sounds terrifying. Here is Manchester City, a glorious, creative team that occasionally struggles to take its chances, and here is Erling Haaland, a physically immense 21-year-old who over the last four seasons has averaged more than a goal per league start. Put them together and how could he not make City better? How could he not increase its goals output even further and perhaps, at last, bring the Champions League glory that the club so desperately desires?
And that might happen. It has escaped nobody’s attention that City had had nine shots on target to Real Madrid’s none in the first 90 minutes at the Bernabéu in the second leg of the Champions League semifinals last week but led only 1–0.