‘All praise to him’ – Haaland thanks Brentford defender for ‘motivating’ him in Man City win | OneFootball

Erling Haaland says Brentford defender Sepp van den Berg’s physicality motivated him in Man City’s 1-0 win over the Bees.

The Norwegian striker scored the only goal of the game, his 11th in eight games for City this season in all competitions.

Haaland barged van den Berg out of the way before firing past Caoimhin Kelleher on nine minutes and says the defender’s approach got him up for the game.

“The first five minutes he kept on pushing me so I thought alright, let’s have it,” he told Sky Sports. “Then I started pushing him back.

“For me, this was a proper goal. It was top. For me, it’s one of my better goals.”

Asked if the shoving motivated him, Haaland said: “Yeah, I think it helps me because to be honest I was a bit tired going into the game.

“Going into the game I was thinking it’s going to be a tough game but then after ten seconds he started pushing me and he starts motivating me so all praise to him honestly. He made me want to do that.

“It was a tough game, and reminded me of Stoke City with Rory Delap 15 years ago. They are huge and do throw-ins from the middle so of course it is not easy but it is about preparing for what is going to come and analysing well and we did. The backroom staff did their job really well. All praise to them.

“A low block is not easy – five people around us at all times. It is why it is not easy and why it feels even better.”

Haaland also says he is in the best condition he has felt in his career.

“I have never felt better than I do now,” he said.

“It is about preparation, getting ready for the games. You can be physically ready but you need to be mentally ready.

“With a kid it makes me even better because I disconnect more than ever. I don’t think about football at all. When you are young you think of this and that and maybe worry about things but when I get home I relax even more. I think I need to give a shout-out to my son.”