Erling Haaland praises Kevin De Bruyne as a clever player after scoring five goals and sends a message to Manchester City’s competitors: “We are on our way.”

Erling Haaland, the sensational striker for Manchester City, has heaped praise on his teammate Kevin De Bruyne after their scintillating performance against Luton Town in the FA Cup. Haaland, who scored a hat-trick in the first half with all three assists coming from De Bruyne, continued his goal-scoring spree in the second half, with the Belgian playmaker providing the assist once again. The duo’s on-pitch chemistry caused chaos for the opposition, leading to a remarkable 6-2 victory for City.

Speaking to ITV after the match, Haaland expressed his admiration for De Bruyne, stating, “He’s doing what he’s best at and it’s a pleasure playing with him. We know what we both want from each other. We look at each other often throughout the game and it clicks well. He’s a smart guy and I like to play with smart guys.”

Both Haaland and De Bruyne have faced injury setbacks this season, but their return to form and fitness has come at a crucial time for City as they aim to defend their Premier League, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League titles. Haaland hinted that there is more to come from him and his teammate, saying, “My fitness is getting there, I’m getting back to my best finally, I’m feeling good. That’s an amazing feeling. It’s coming, we’re coming. Exciting times ahead. We are ready to attack.”

City’s impressive run in the FA Cup has seen them reach the quarter-finals, while they are also in the last 16 of the Champions League and are just one point behind league leaders Liverpool. Since his return from injury in January, Haaland has scored eight goals, while De Bruyne has also been in fine form since his comeback at the start of the year.

Manager Pep Guardiola was delighted to witness the devastating partnership between Haaland and De Bruyne once again, stating, “What can I say? Really, really good. Erling (Haaland) is on fire and Kevin (De Bruyne)..the connection was perfect. It was a really good game and we are in the quarter-finals. Kevin needs players like Erling and Erling needs players like Kevin. We are not here without the other guys. A lot of credit for everyone.”

City’s next challenge is the highly-anticipated Manchester derby against rivals Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. Following that, they will face Copenhagen in the second leg of their Champions League last 16 tie, holding a 3-1 advantage from the first leg in Denmark.