Hair wasn’t the only thing that Erling Haaland was missing when Manchester City’s 2026–27 Premier League season began, walking away with a narrow 2–1 victory over Bournemouth on Sunday. The three-time Golden Boot winner might have been wondering where his team was.
Haaland’s stock reached new heights during the summer, the face of Norway’s charming assault on the World Cup that briefly looked as though it might upset the established global order.
The City star struggled in last weekend’s Community Shield defeat to Arsenal, starved of meaningful service by a team still finding its feet under a new manager. He was sporting a new look by the time the league campaign opened at the Etihad Stadium, cutting off his trademark golden locks the day before and uploading the evidence to YouTube.
But this was less a case of Haaland losing his strength like Samson. It was more the half-built unit around him that felt weak. He looked behind on the sunny day in Manchester and did not see Bernardo Silva, Rodri or John Stones after summer moves to Real Madrid, Barcelona and Inter respectively. It’s 26 years of service and 1,053 City appearances suddenly not there.
Record signing Elliot Anderson started in midfield and covered lots of ground for minimal impact and went off injured after 63 minutes. Enzo Maresca saw fit to start Marc Guéhi in midfield ahead of Nico González, who is seemingly surplus to requirements and could soon join Newcastle United. Nico O’Reilly was a midfielder in the academy but was successfully repurposed last season by Pep Guardiola to left back. He began in the No. 10 role.
Maresca saw fit to replace O’Reilly with Rayan Cherki 18 minutes into the second half, and City looked more dangerous. The Frenchman claimed both assists as they scored twice in quick succession at the end to turn a loss into a win. But it wasn’t Haaland who benefited.
Cherki’s 84th-minute corner landed on the head of an unmarked Guéhi to equalize, before finding Joško Gvardiol in an advanced position to score the stoppage-time winner.
Haaland Only As Good As the Service Man City Provide
A day earlier, ex-Premier League player Paul Merson had predicted on Sky Sports show Soccer Saturday that Haaland will get “frustrated” this season because this new City team isn’t necessarily geared up to play to his strengths like before.
The former Arsenal star observed “brilliant” runs during the Community Shield that went unrewarded because City’s creativity is built differently. “If you’re Haaland, you’d be worried,” he said. “Kevin De Bruyne, Silva, they put him through, but they’ve got dribblers 1787509109, not someone who’s going to put the ball through [to him].
“You’re only as good as the players that provide you, and he isn’t going to have that service.”
Haaland had five shots against Bournemouth. Two missed the target, another was blocked. He forced Đorđe Petrović into a save towards the end of the first half, a header that was the result of a cross from center back Rúben Dias.
His best chance came in the 75th minute when City still trailed. But while Phil Foden was involved, the final cross into the box was not from a classy technician, but Guéhi. The bobbling ball was slightly too far back, which required Haaland to attempt to wrap his foot around it and lose power. The save was easy for Petrović.
Man City’s Transfer Business Not Over
Even with so little of the summer transfer window remaining, City are still a work in progress. News of a deal being agreed for Lille prodigy Ayyoub Bouaddi, who ought to take on the Rodri role in midfield, was reported just before kickoff against Bournemouth.
Haaland needs better midfielders in order to thrive.
The day prior, Maresca had told reporters City are trying to find the “new Rodri” and pointed out both that the Spaniard was a relative nobody when he first walked through the door in 2019 and that the club has a habit of successfully replacing its outgoing stars. Seven years ago, Rodri was recruited with replacing an aging Fernandinho in mind.
BBC Sport reports Alex Scott, who covered plenty of ground and was a disruptive force in Bournemouth’s midfield at the Etihad, is of interest. City have “not given up hope” of reuniting Maresca with namesake Enzo Fernández. Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister is also an option.
It is likely that pursuing one of that trio would be in addition to Bouaddi. Haaland can only hope the club is successful and that things click into place soon after.
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