Erling Haaland has warned as Liverpool know the truth about Man City’s defeat

Manchester City suffered a second straight pre-season defeat, falling 3-2 to AC Milan on Saturday night at Yankee Stadium.

City looked set for a routine performance as they looked to bounce back from Tuesday’s 4-3 defeat by Celtic, Erling Haaland putting the Premier League champions ahead after just 19 minutes. However, the mood quickly changed as Milan raced into a 2-1 lead thanks to a quick double from young striker Lorenzo Colombo.

City’s Rico Lewis was caught twice on the right flank by Milan’s Samuel Chukwueze, leaving Colombo with two direct finishes. A significantly changed City side came out fighting in the second half, with James McAtee keeping out a close-range header from Lewis’ cross at the back post.

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Both teams looked for the decisive goal and it was Milan who found it when substitute Marco Nasti put the Italian club ahead with just 12 minutes remaining. Despite the five-goal thriller at Yankee Stadium, the loudest cheer came after 82 minutes.

US Men’s National Team stars Yunus Musah and Christian Pulisic were introduced to Milan, although some fans expressed disappointment that they weren’t brought in sooner. Here are five key takeaways from Milan’s pre-season win over City.

Erling Haaland shines after ‘improvement’ statement.

Ahead of Saturday’s match, Haaland said he had made improvements in “a lot of things” as he prepares for the 2024-25 season. This could be a tough pill to swallow for some fans, considering the 24-year-old is already one of the best footballers in the world.

However, his claim holds water as the striker looks set to break his own Premier League scoring record next season.

“I hope I will be a better footballer and a better person this season,” Haaland shared with reporters on Friday. The Norwegian striker needed just 12 minutes to find the back of the net against Celtic on Tuesday and put City ahead against Milan on 19 minutes on Saturday with a clean finish into the bottom left corner.

Haaland’s speed, physicality and intelligence have been on full display since his days at Borussia Dortmund and have only improved since his move to City in 2022. However, the 6ft 4 titan appears to have reaped the benefits of a summer breaks without international football and could pose an even greater threat to opposing teams next season.

Oscar Bobb looks amazing

City striker Oscar Bobb scored a memorable goal last season, one that helped Guardiola’s side to a fourth successive Premier League title. He came off the bench to score a 91st-minute winner in a thrilling 3-2 win over Newcastle and made a total of 14 Championship appearances last season.

The young Norwegian, who shares the international stage with Haaland, was the standout player in the first half, thrilling the crowd at Yankee Stadium. His nimble footwork down the right flank set up Haaland’s opener, and Bobb himself missed a goal-scoring opportunity soon after.

Bobb’s synergy with Haaland is obvious and could be a factor in City’s limited transfer activity this summer given the wealth of emerging talent. Bobb is definitely among the most promising.

Rico Lewis was tested by Samuel Chukwueze

During City’s 2022 tour of the USA, Guardiola took note of young defender Rico Lewis, who has since become a regular in the squad. At just 19, Lewis has considerable experience with 30 Premier League appearances and some impressive performances, but he found Milan a tough opponent on Sunday.

Lewis has been assigned to mark Milan winger Samuel Chukwueze, having also been encouraged to push forward by Guardiola. Within 10 minutes, Lewis was visibly tired and struggling to keep up with Chukwueze.

Both of Milan’s first-half goals were scored by Colombo, with Chukwueze providing the assists as he repeatedly outpaced Lewis. However, Lewis redeemed himself somewhat by setting up James McAtee early in the second half, giving the young defender a much-needed lift.

Lorenzo Colombo turns up the heat on Alvaro Morata

Young Milan striker Lorenzo Colombo had a dream first half, scoring twice as the Italian side brilliantly countered Haaland’s opening goal. The 22-year-old joined Milan aged just eight but has spent most of his time on loan since making his senior debut in 2020.

Milan recently secured the signature of Atletico Madrid forward Alvaro Morata in a deal worth $14 million, but Colombo could be given an opportunity this season by new head coach Paulo Fonseca. Morata already faces competition from current strikers Luka Jovic and Noah Okafor, but Colombo looks set for his first full season.

Colombo has gained invaluable experience with Italian clubs Cremonese, SPAL, Lecce and Monza, scoring seven goals in Serie B and nine in Serie A. Fonseca has a decision to make, but either way, it looks like Milan have a promising young striker .

Alessandro Florenzi suffers another injury

Serie A side Alessandro Florenzi could face another extended spell after being assisted off the pitch in the first half. Milan had just taken the lead when Florenzi went down and things looked grim when the stretcher was brought out.

He was eventually helped off the field but was visibly upset and now faces a tense wait to determine the extent of the injury. He was unable to bear any weight on his right leg and will undergo an immediate examination.

Florenzi, who joined Milan in 2022 after a spell of a lifetime with Roma, was struck down by a hamstring injury at the start of the 22-23 season, limiting him to just six league appearances. Despite managing a full season in 23-24, Milan could once again face a shortage.

Liverpool.com says: A defeat at City could be cause for optimism among some supporters, although Liverpool will know better than to come close to writing off Pep Guardiola’s side. Of course they are still without some of their stars after a busy international summer and even in defeat, the sight of Haaland striking is ominous.

* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can read the original story in the Mirror by clicking here.