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Erling Haaland NOT a game-changer for Man City but he would have won them Champions League last season, claims Carragher

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ERLING HAALAND is NOT a game-changer for Manchester City, claimed Jamie Carragher.

But the ex-Liverpool defender did admit he would have won the club their first Champions League crown last season.

Erling Haaland will be desperate to continue smashing in goals galore for Manchester CityCredit: Getty

Haaland, 22, joined City from Borussia Dortmund in a bargain £51million transfer this summer.

And many expect having a world-class No9 will take City to the next level, especially after scoring 12 minutes into his debut against Bayern Munich.

But Carragher is not so sure – because City are already dominant in England, winning four of the last five league titles.

The pundit told talkSPORT: “I still think City are favourites, but I don’t think Haaland is a game-changer for City in terms of winning the league, because they win the league now.

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“They get 95 to 100 points. If they want to get 110 – there are only so many points in a season.”

However, he does reckon the Norwegian could prove to be the final piece in the jigsaw they have been missing in Europe.

City lost the 2021 Champions League final to Chelsea then somehow threw away their place in the 2022 showpiece by losing to Real Madrid in that dramatic Bernabeu collapse.

Carragher added: “I think Haaland will be the icing on the cake in the Champions League.

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“If he’s playing away in Madrid they don’t lose that game, they win, they’re through to the final and I think that’s the difference Haaland will make.

“I don’t think he will be a huge difference in the league because City are that good anyway.

“When you look at what Liverpool did to catch City and get that level of 90 plus points, they bought Alisson and Virgil van Dijk – they were game changers.

“They took Liverpool from a team that got 75 points to a team now that are looking for 95 points. 

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“I think City are already at that level so I don’t think it’s going to be like that for Haaland, but with a striker like him it gives them a great opportunity for the Champions League.”

Haaland became the youngest player ever to reach 20 Champions League goals last year.

He surpassed Harry Kane’s record by TEN matches, smashing in his first 20 in just 14 games.

He now has 23 in 19 – or one every 64 minutes – with a total of 115 in 116 across all competitions at Dortmund and Red Bull Salzburg combined.

City crashed out of the Champions League semis against Real MadridCredit: AP
Jamie Carragher is expecting Haaland to be the difference in EuropeCredit: PA

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk

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