Brentford manager Thomas Frank has conceded that Erling Haaland’s movement and anticipation make the Manchester City forward nearly impossible to stop. The Bees are preparing to face the reigning Premier League champions at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday. Haaland has been a prolific goalscorer in the English top flight, securing the top scorer title for the last two seasons. He has continued his dominant form this campaign, netting an impressive seven goals in just three matches, including two hat-tricks.
When asked how he plans to contain the threat of the 24-year-old Norwegian, who boasts an incredible 70 goals in 69 Premier League appearances, Frank stated, “Close to impossible.” He acknowledged that numerous teams have attempted to neutralize Haaland’s impact. “I think he’s a great player. I think his movements in the box are probably some of the best we’ve ever seen. The way he anticipates and is constantly on the move and focused and aware of where to position himself. That’s top level… he’s a decent player in the best team in the world.”
Haaland’s impact was felt in the corresponding fixture last season, scoring the winning goal and providing an assist for one of Phil Foden’s three goals at Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium. Despite the daunting task ahead, Frank expressed confidence in his team’s ability to achieve a positive result against the league leaders. “We know if we hit a good level, we can make it difficult for them.” Brentford currently sits with six points from their first three games, demonstrating their own promising start to the season.
