Gary Neville was left amazed by something one Manchester City player did in the 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur.
City won their game in hand on Tuesday night to go two points clear at the top of the Premier League. Erling Haaland scored twice for City, and Stefan Ortega also came in clutch with two big saves.
It has been a game many City fans had been worrying about.
The club’s record at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has been well documented, and there was big pressure to get a result.
It was not a good performance from the visitors, but their quality told in the end.
Haaland bagged his 26th and 27th Premier League goals of the season – and his second left Gary Neville purring on commentary for Sky Sports…
Gary Neville blown away by Erling Haaland’s ’emphatic’ penalty for Man City against Tottenham Hotspur
Haaland hasn’t quite been as good this season as he was in 2022/23 – but he has still produced a fantastic goal return.
It’s 27 in the Premier League and he is practically certain to win the Golden Boot now for the second season in a row. He also has a further 11 in cup competitions.
The £51 million striker is arguably the best out-and-out goalscorer in the world, and he remains deadly from 12 yards.
There was big pressure on him for that penalty against Spurs on Tuesday night. But Haaland slammed his shot into the top corner, sending goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario the wrong way.
His powerful effort left Gary Neville amazed on commentary. He said on Sky: “He’s a destroyer, Erling Haaland!
“He’s hit this ball so hard, the back of the net lifts up. Just watch the bottom of the goal, that white frame, it lifts! Emphatic.”
An underrated penalty
It was actually quite an underrated penalty from Haaland.
Even for someone as cool as him, he had to have been feeling a lot of pressure in that moment. Indeed, the 23-year-old admitted afterwards he was nervous stepping up, describing the situation as ‘a bit horrible’ (via Metro).
But he absolutely rifled it into the top corner. It was impressive to see him generate that much power, when he didn’t even strike it with his laces.
It was emphatic, as Neville said, and looked even better with Vicario dividing the other way.
Simply put, it was a truly outstanding spot-kick, from an outstanding player.
