Tonight will see two red-hot Nordic strikers face off, as Manchester City take on Sporting CP.
Manchester City are in Portugal tonight to pay their fourth Champions League match, and are looking to bounce back from their first Premier League defeat of the season against Bournemouth at the weekend.
Pep Guardiola’s side were not at the races at the Vitality Stadium.
So a response is required tonight, but Sporting will pose a big challenge.
They have started the new season ridiculously well, winning all 10 of their league games so far and scored 35 goals. And in the Champions League, they have taken seven points from a possible nine.
One man many people will be watching tonight is Viktor Gyokeres, a player who has gone from strength to strength over the last couple of years.
Ahead of the clash, Guardiola was asked about the Swedish sensation.
Pep Guardiola bats away question about Viktor Gyokeres
It was reported last month that Gyokeres was a player Hugo Viana wants to sign for Man City if Erling Haaland leaves.
There have not really been any indications that City’s current number nine Erling Haaland will want to leave the club next summer.
But Gyokeres may well be a player City have on their radar. And his goalscoring record for Sporting really would warrant that.
He has 63 goals in just 66 appearances for the club, and 20 already so far this term across all competitions.
He is red-hot right now, and ahead of tonight’s game, Guardiola was asked about the potential for Gyokeres to perhaps play for City.
But the Manchester City manager refused to add any fuel to the fire, saying (via Mais Futebol): “We have Erling Haaland, the best striker in the world.
“Gyökeres is a very important player for them, but he has been with Amorim for a long time, you can see the patterns, the joy.”
Gyokeres could be a worthy Haaland replacement
Guardiola was never going to make any suggestion that City could move for Gyokeres.
But it’s difficult to imagine the Spaniard not being impressed by Gyokeres’ remarkable stint over in Portugal since his move from Coventry City.
Haaland does not give the impression that he will be leaving City any time soon. He’s under contract at the club until 2027 and few, if any, clubs in the world would be able to afford him – unless some kind of clause becomes active.
| Viktor Gyokeres for Sporting CP (all competitions) |
| Appearances – 66 |
| Goals – 63 |
| Assists -19 |
| Trophies – 1 |
But if Haaland did so happen to depart City in the next one to two years, then perhaps Gyokeres would be a worthy successor.
The star is fast and powerful just like the Norwegian and clearly has a brilliant eye for goal too.
That all said, with Amorim joining Manchester United, it could be that the Red Devils make a play for him and it never even becomes a possibility for City.
