Erling Haaland fitness admission sends major Man City message

Erling Haaland is playing without pain for 'the first time for a long time' after getting Manchester City's title defence up and running.

Haaland was one of the few City players available for the beginning of pre-season, although his game time was managed on the summer tour and he was withdrawn in one game after experiencing what Pep Guardiola described as 'niggles'. That did not cause him to sit out any games though and after starting in the Community Shield he was in the XI at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

A terrific bit of centre-forward play earned the 24-year-old the opening goal of the game and continued his streak of scoring in the first Premier League game of the season. Speaking afterwards, Haaland said he feels he can push himself more knowing that he isn't battling with the pain that caused him considerable discomfort last season.

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“It was a good pre-season for me – I’ve never felt better. In general, I don’t have any pain in my body which is the first time for a long time," he said.

"It’s amazing – you can push yourself more because you don’t have something in the back of your head. I had a long pre-season, I enjoyed it.

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"We had a lot of young guns with us and to be captain was amazing, I enjoyed it. We have one captain in the