“Off the pitch I’m a calm guy that just wants to have fun and enjoy my life,” Erling Haaland told Time Magazine in July. “On the pitch I want to attack like a Viking.” The Manchester City striker’s love for the Scandinavian seafaring conquerors is well known. He dressed up as a Viking at a Halloween party just a few months after joining City. And while speaking to the prestigious American current affairs magazine, he zeroed in on his fascination with them.”First of all the history is incredible,” Haaland said of the Vikings, while being quick to point out “Of course a lot of things that they did were not good”. Leaning in to his subject of interest, he explained: “I like the mentality, like ‘I don’t care about anything, we’re just gonna go there and get the job done’. “Also that they were stronger and better than everyone, literally. That’s what I love. And also the togetherness, they had an incredible bond between each other when they were sailing across the whole world. The Vikings were inspiring.”And right now Haaland is in full Viking mode. He has 12 goals in his last seven games for club and country and is fresh from conquering Manchester United and pillaging another Champions League record with his header against Napoli. And it is in this ransacking mood that he charges into battle against Arsenal, with vengeance on his mind…
