Former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas says players like Erling Haaland give team-mates belief “something special” will happen.
The 24-year-old striker scored his second consecutive hat-trick against West Ham at the weekend, his eighth three-goal haul in the Premier League. That leaves him just four behind the record of former City forward Sergio Aguero.
“For me, he is the number one striker in the world and, on his day, he can destroy any team in the world,” Fabregas said on the Planet Premier League podcast.
“Before games in my career, there were only two players that I really felt, ‘OK, these guys are gonna make a difference – they’re gonna change the game or something is going to happen’. Even if we were losing or were struggling during the game: Thierry Henry and Lionel Messi.
“I’m sure Real Madrid players felt the same with Cristiano Ronaldo, Manchester City with Aguero, Manchester United with Van Nistelrooy, but in my career, my feeling when I had these two players in front of me in the tunnel, I knew that 90% of the games they were going to do something special that will make us win the game.
“To have this sensation as a big club is really important. I’m sure that City players will have this feeling when they see Haaland stepping onto that field with them.”
Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds