HAAL WANT FOR XMAS

Erly gifts have revamped City into trophy hunters

- BY SIMON BAJKOWSKI

CHRISTMAS has come early for Erling Haaland at Manchester City.

As Pep Guardiola's side look to continue their push for the top of the Premier League table, their star striker is thankful for the presents that have already arrived at the Etihad.

City bosses knew they had to act last winter as the team slumped form one disastrous week to the next amid an injury crisis, and the rebuild that Pep Guardiola hadn't thought necessary began in January.

Omar Marmoush and Nico Gonzalez were the headline arrivals in a £175million January splurge that galvanised the team to secure Champions League football.

Another statement followed in summer, with Rayan Cherki, Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Marcus Bettinelli coming before the Club World Cup, alongside an overhaul of Guardiolas backroom staff, before James Trafford and Gianluigi Donnarumma followed.