Erling Haaland vs Harry Kane – Who will make the difference?

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Manchester City host Tottenham hotspur this weekend with both teams needing a victory in their own respective battles for the title and a place in the UEFA Champions League.  Two players that have had great starts to the season and will be ones to watch are Spurs captain Harry Kane and Manchester City’s formidable Erling Haaland.

Erling Haaland has arguably had the best start to a Premier League campaign ever, scoring 25 goals in his first 19 appearances.  The arrival of the Norwegian giant has reinvigorated the golden boot chase, having been dominated by Liverpool’s Mohammed Salah and Spurs Harry Kane.

Last season City won the Premier League without the help of an out and out striker, utilising their range of versatile and skillfull attackers in a false nine role.  Haaland has changed the way City attack with the likes of Kevin De Bruyne thriving with the addition of a mobile, physical and athletic target man.

Harry Kane is currently in second place in the golden boot race, having scored 16 goals in 21 appearances.  Nine goals behind Haaland, Kane will have to do something truly special to outscore the Manchester City star.

The England captain may be nine goals behind, but his role for Spurs could not be more different to that of Haaland’s at City.   Both strikers are spectacular finishers, but Kane is Spurs most important player, if Kane does not play, Spurs are more likely to lose.

Kane must come deep to fetch the ball; he has to hold up the play and he is a huge part of their attacking build-up.  Kane has evolved into a playmaker as well as a goal scorer.  The Spurs talisman has created 35 chances so far this season, the second most in the League.  20 more than Haaland.

When Manchester City take on Spurs this weekend, the battle to watch will most certainly be between the Premier League’s two best strikers.  Both will need to be at their best in a must win for both teams as City chase the Gunners and Spurs chase UEFA Champions League qualification.

Photo: Twitter @UNIBETAustralia

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Dylan Johnson