Erling Haaland has pinpointed the moment he sensed that Manchester City would retain their Premier League title last season.
After a thrilling race with Arsenal, City ultimately finished five points ahead of the Gunners – who faltered late on having led the way for much of the campaign.
And Haaland anticipated his side's triumph almost two months before they actually sealed their crown.
Asked when he felt the title race was over, Haaland – in an interview with Sky Sports alongside City teammate Jack Grealish – said:
"For me, it was the Liverpool game at home [in early April]. I was so nervous. They went 1-0 up, but I knew if we won this [match], we would win [the title]."
City went on to win that game 4-1 – with Haaland, unusually, not among the goalscorers.
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Grealish wasn't quite as confident as his colleague, though. He explained: "For me, it was a bit different. I thought, '[Arsenal] aren’t going to lose here'.
"I was thinking if we can get to that Arsenal game and we’re three points behind them, because we always had better goal difference, then if we win that game, it would be ours to lose. I just knew if we got to that point before the Arsenal game, then I knew we were going to win."
City travel to Arsenal on Sunday for the standout fixture of the Premier League weekend; it will be the sides' second meeting this term, following the Gunners' Community Shield victory at Wembley back in August.
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