Manchester City midfielder Tijjani Reijnders has provided an insight into his work behind the scenes in forging an on-pitch relationship with striker Erling Haaland.
Reijnders has made a fast start to life at the Etihad Stadium after joining Manchester City for £45 million from AC Milan in the summer, with executives across the industry left astonished by City’s shrewd transfer business following the 26-year-old’s early impressions.
The Netherlands international produced an all-time great Premier League debut in Manchester City’s opening day win away at Wolves, scoring his first goal for his new club on his full debut in English football and setting up Haaland in the second half.
Pep Guardiola and Manchester City have embarked upon their first season without Kevin De Bruyne in a decade, and Reijnders has effortlessly slotted into the role of architect-in-chief early on in his City career, with fellow new signing Rayan Cherki injured and Phil Foden returning to form.
Reijnders has been somewhat away from his best since his Manchester City debut, it has to be said, however. The midfielder has failed to match his heroics from the 4-0 matchday one battering of Wolves in subsequent games against Tottenham, Brighton, and Manchester United.
However, it will understandably take time for the Dutchman to get accustomed to life at the Etihad Stadium, and ups and downs are a common theme of debut seasons for Guardiola’s new signings since the Spaniard was appointed Manchester City manager in 2016.
The city’s new midfield signing missed a great chance for a fourth goal for the hosts against their local rivals, with Haaland playing Reijnders in behind the Manchester United defense and the £45 million signing’s chip over Altay Bayindir just missing the left post and going off target.
Speaking after Manchester City’s 3-0 derby win over Manchester United on Sunday, Reijnders gave a peek through the curtain into the work going on behind the scenes at the Etihad Stadium to forge relationships between Guardiola’s attacking players.
“It takes time to get used to each other. I need to get into those situations more often,” said Reijnders in conversation with Algemeen Dagblad, as quoted by Voetbal Primeur and relayed by Sport Witness.
“Every match, I have to look for opportunities to make a through ball. I hope to do that more often from now on.
“We (Reijnders and Haaland) often talk in training about how we can help each other as much as possible. By constantly watching each other on the pitch, so we know where the spaces are. That went well against Manchester United.”
Reijnders will be no stranger to the brutal truth that Manchester City was unreasonably reliant on Haaland to deliver in front of goal last term, and the Netherlands star will be keen to start adding to his goals tally by continuing to bomb forward and linking up with the likes of Haaland and Foden.