Erling Haaland has been underwhelming lately, but Chris Sutton is certain this will end when Manchester City take on West Ham in the Premier League.
Wednesday was a night of few chances for Erling Haaland, but there was something a little bit off about the striker.
Usually Haaland is full of life and enthusiasm, but he was failing to make the movement necessary in order to connect with Jeremy Doku’s crosses.
This was not the Norwegian’s only poor display in recent weeks, as he struggled to make any kind of impact when Man City drew with Nottingham Forest.
City could really do with having their top goalscorer firing again, because they have a Premier League match against West Ham which has to be won to keep their title dreams alive.
Chris Sutton has backed Erling Haaland to find his shooting boots for Man City
Haaland’s dry patch cannot last forever and Chris Sutton is confident it will end when he lines up against West Ham.
The BBC Sport pundit is anticipating at least one goal from the 25-year-old. As a result, he has predicted a Man City victory.
Sutton said: “Manchester City have not lost to West Ham in the league since 2015 but this will be a test for them.
“The Hammers are desperate for points, while City melted in Madrid in midweek. From 3-0 down, I can’t see them turning that tie around on Tuesday.
“This is a big few weeks for Pep Guardiola’s side, who have got Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final, Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-finals and are clinging on in Europe.”
Man City still have the chance to wrap up plenty of silverware this season, but Sutton is beginning to wonder if they will win any at all.
“At the moment the quadruple is still on for City but at the moment you’d say they are far more likely to end up with a trophyless season than they are to win all four,” he continued.
“West Ham surprised me by beating Fulham in their last league game but I am still not convinced by them at home.”
Touching on Haaland, Sutton added: “This will be tricky for City but I think they will edge it. Everyone else seems to have lost faith in Erling Haaland, but not me. He will score, and City will win.”
Sutton’s prediction: West Ham 1-2 Manchester City
Haaland was on target last time Man City played West Ham
When Man City hosted West Ham back in December, Haaland was absolutely brilliant. The centre forward scored two goals, which helped drive his team to a 3-0 victory.
West Ham have been playing a bit better in recent weeks, but City should still be the favourites to carve out a victory.
If Haaland can find his form again, surely the result is only going one way. However, he needs the help of the players behind him, so chance creation is a priority.
