Erling Haaland Reveals Most Important Part of Playing For Manchester City After Scoring Winner Against RB Leipzig

Erling Haaland Reveals Most Important Part of Playing For Manchester City After Scoring Winner Against RB Leipzig What do we expect from Erling Haaland this season? More Videos The Norway international met Elliot Anderson’s superb run through the middle after Enzo Maresa’s side twice took the lead on an unpredictable night for both clubs at the Red Bull Arena. Manchester City established the lead on 37 minutes when Castello Lukeba flung Nico O’Reilly’s low cross into his own net, before Ridle Baku capitalised on Gianluigi Donnarumma’s lack of focus for the second goal. The Italian goalkeeper watched the ball slip past him when Baku intended to pass across the face of the City goal, and despite making a stunning save just three minutes earlier, Donnarumma was brought back down to earth. Enzo Fernandez headed Manchester City back in front, but RB Leipzig continued the press that had haunted the away side all night, and Antonio Nusa made it 2-2 on the hour before Erling Haaland’s eventual heroics . Erling Haaland, who once scored five goals and became the second player in history after Lionel Messi to record a haul that large in a knockout game of the UEFA Champions League, has hurt RB Leipzig for several seasons. Wednesday night's winner was his 13th goal against the German club in all competitions, and it would have been particularly frustrating for Leipzig, managed by former Manchester City defender Martin Demichelis, who played exceptionally well in large parts. Haaland recognised their efforts and believes that, as a club, City have plenty of work to do to improve and understand their opponents, but that the most crucial thing is that he helps his team win. “What is most important is I help the team to win, and I managed to do that, so I’m super happy. I think in the end, we need to step up a little because when we were 0-1 up, we needed to push forward a bit more to go at it, go for a second, and then hopefully a third. That’s what we have to do as a club, and we have to work on that,” Haaland told TNT Sports . When going into further depth tactically, the striker added: “Keep the ball, when to keep it, when to go, working together both offensively [and] defensively, loads of different things. "That’s a good part; you can always get better, so there’s always a new chance, and a new game will be in three days - so that’s lovely.” Erling Haaland has been known for large parts of this season to drop back under Enzo Maresca’s guidance and join the midfield to shield defenders from the ball and create passing lanes out on the wings for the likes of Jeremy Doku, Antoine Semenyo, Iliman Ndiaye, and Phil Foden to run into. Not least for his goalscoring ability, the forward’s importance to Manchester City is clear in the way he shifts around the pitch. Against RB Leipzig, he was a ghost in the opening period and struggled to get involved in the second half ahead of his winner. The Norwegian is the king of disproving a performance based on impressions, and that influence, as the captain here while Ruben Dias sat on the bench, led him to speak up about what he believes Enzo Maresca’s side should have done after taking the lead. “I think we need to try and work on just pushing for more when we get the lead, and don’t kind of drop - as I think we did a little bit today. There are plenty of things to work on,” he later told the official Manchester City website .