It looks like Manchester City are in Imperial mode right now. They were a monster of a behemoth before Erling Haaland, but now with the giant Nordic goal-scoring juggernaut aboard…everyone else look out! Wow! He’s the Aaron Judge of world football. Actually, no, he’s even better than that; at least numbers wise.
And now he has another chance in midweek to feast on a weaker side (FC Copenhagen for a Champions League group stage clash). Get your fantasy football projections ready…to be broken.
?RECORD BREAKER
Erling Haaland becomes the 1st player in @premierleague history to score a hat-trick in 3 successive PL home games
Quickest players to 3 PL hat-tricks
E HAALAND 8?? apps
M Owen 4??8?? apps
R Van Nistelrooy 5??9?? apps
F Torres 6??4?? apps
A Cole 6??5?? apps pic.twitter.com/3BT1vcagex— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) October 2, 2022
Man City vs Copenhagen UCL Group G, Matchday 3 of 6
Kickoff: Wed. Oct 5, Etihad Stadium
Man City Team News: Go Here
After Extra Time Podcast: Spotify Apple
Google Result Probability: Copenhagen 2% Man City 46% Draw 6%
UCL Group Standings/Form: Copenhagen 3rd, 1pt, DL Man City 1st, 6pts, WW
He’s the first name penciled on the team sheet, for all league and UCL matches. But now let’s take a look at the rest of the names who manager Pep Guardiola will likely slot in to take on the side from the Danish capital.
Manchester City Starting XI Prediction vs Copenhagen (Champions League)
Ederson; Cancelo, Dias, Ake, Gomez; De Bruyne, Gundogan, Bernardo; Mahrez, Foden; Haaland
Prediction: Man City 4, Copenhagen 0
Take a look at that Google’s Result Probability up there! Really kind of tells you all you need to know about trying to forecast this one. Does Haaland bag a brace or net another hat trick? That’s the only mystery here, really.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Bank (TheSportsBank.Net) and author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” as well as “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune, and he co-hosts the After Extra Time podcast, part of Edge of the Crowd Network. Follow him and the website on Twitter and Instagram.