Julian Alvarez says he is used to playing with prolific goalscorers as he tries to adapt to life at Manchester City with Erling Haaland.
Alvarez was bought by City in a £14million deal in January and after keeping him at River Plate for six months the decision was made to bring him to Manchester for the 2022/23 season. With Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus and Ferran Torres all departing this year, Alvarez has bolstered the forward line-up but is still adapting to a new team and league.
Pep Guardiola has used him sparingly, starting him alongside Haaland in a 6-0 win over Nottingham Forest in August but waiting until Leicester away at the weekend - when Haaland was injured - to start him again in the league. After a brace against Forest, Alvarez's only other City goal in 16 appearances came in the home Champions League game with Copenhagen.
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Alvarez struggled for space at the weekend against an exceptionally defensive Leicester side, unable to find any room to threaten a goal. The Argentine admits he is still coming to terms with how teams line up against City.
"There are lots of teams who come here and sit back and wait for us to come onto them," he said. "It is difficult to find space and get in behind and as a striker I’ve got lots of players around me so sometimes it’s hard to get as much time on the ball as you’re used to.
"Our play is very intense and we win the ball back quickly. If I have to make more movements and runs off the ball, that’s what I’ll do."
Alvarez also has to compete against Haaland, who has smashed in 22 goals in record time. Just as Jesus was expected to score whenever he filled in for the prolific Sergio Aguero, Alvarez has the pressure of competing against one of the greatest goalscorers in the game.
It is a challenge the 22-year-old is relishing, not least because he says he already has experience of playing with teammates who score a lot.
"First and foremost it’s a privilege playing with him and it is always great to play alongside the best in the world," he said. "I have played with him and without him and I think we can learn from each other both ways. I like he always wants to bring the best to the team.
"We’re very different players but people have to adapt to different types of play and different styles when players line up. I like to occupy different positions on the pitch.
"In River I had other players who were big goalscorers so the same thing happened. I'm used to these types of situations but I trust in myself and in my own ability and know the other players trust me as well. It’s important that however way we can, we win."
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