Erling Haaland the missing piece and full-back issues - what we learnt from Man City tour

Manchester City's squad are now back in Manchester after the conclusion of their brief pre-season tour in the United States.

The Blues only returned to pre-season training on July 11 - over a week after some Premier League sides - before heading to the US for a week the following weekend.

City won both of their games on the other side of the Atlantic, a 2-1 win against Club America in Houston before a weather-interrupted 1-0 defeat of Bayern Munich in Green Bay.

City are now continuing their pre-season preparations at the CFA ahead of a Community Shield clash with Liverpool on Saturday. So what did we learn from City's short trip to the States?

READ MORE: Three unlikely Man City stars show benefit of Erling Haaland circus on pre-season tour

Haaland completes the puzzle

To the disappointment of the thousands of City fans packed into Houston's NRG Stadium, Erling Haaland sat out City's first match of the tour. Guardiola later explained that his new striker had experienced some 'niggles' in training, and so wasn't risked on a less-than-perfect playing surface.

Haaland did make the starting line-up against Bayern Munich, and when he scored just 12 minutes into his City debut it became clear that he is the answer to a very City problem.

City scored more goals than any other Premier League side last season (99), but on countless occasions balls would be flashed across goal with no central striker to get on the end of them. Haaland did just that for his strike, prodding home an intelligent Jack Grealish cut-back.

Julian Alvarez has role to play

Some feared Alvarez might struggle for minutes in Haaland's shadow, but against Club America the Argentinian striker showed exactly what he can bring to the table.

The 22-year-old is a