Erling Haaland faces something new in Man City challenge vs Manchester United

The ways in which Erling Haaland can be described are already running dry.

He may have only played nine games so far this season but already Haaland is living up to even the loftiest of expectations. If he's playing, he's usually scoring. The only team who managed to keep him at bay was (shockingly) Bournemouth. Everyone else has fallen victim to this unrelenting force of nature.

Manchester City might not be top of the table just yet but it feels inevitable that they will take their place before too long and once they do it will take some effort to dislodge them. With Haaland in their ranks, they're basically starting every match a goal up in addition to all the quality they already had.

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Yet, it must be said, Pep Guardiola's side have enjoyed a rather comfortable start to the campaign, on paper at least. Though Newcastle United and Crystal Palace have been bogey teams in the past, out of City's first seven opponents only West Ham finished last season above 10th. Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest were in the Championship.

The Blues' most difficult opposition so far has been Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League and if it wasn't for John Stones breaking the Germans' resolve with a 30-yard screamer, it's difficult to say if they ever would have broken down a resolute defence. City haven't faced a team of that quality in the league so far but even still there appears to be a newfound fragility.

On three different occasions, they have had to come from behind to rescue points. That resilience and character is certainly a good trait but Guardiola won't be happy with how often he has seen it so often already.