Published: 17:00, 27 October 2025 | Updated: 17:00, 27 October 2025

Quiz question: aside from Erling Haaland, who has scored the most goals for Manchester City in the Premier League this season?

The answer might surprise you, but then maybe it won’t, given Pep Guardiola is talking about the need for his attackers to ‘step up’ around the opponent’s box.

Maxime Esteve, Burnley’s lynchpin at the back, takes the rather dubious honour. His two own goals as City beat the Clarets 5-1 last month puts him ahead of Phil Foden, Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Cherki and Matheus Nunes.

That City are the division’s top scorers alongside Tottenham and Chelsea only further highlights the Haaland phenomenon. And though the burden is something he relishes, easing it is hardly going to harm the Norwegian.

Reijnders and Cherki both scored on the opening day at Wolves, so it’s two goals from City players outside of Haaland’s numbers in the last eight games. In no way is that sustainable. City know it, Guardiola knows it. They need the wingers to start chipping in, for Foden to convert some encouraging...