Erling Haaland says the chemistry he has forged with Kevin De Bruyne has been a big factor in his success at Manchester City.

The striker took his tally to 14 Premier League goals with a hat-trick in Sunday’s 6-3 drubbing of Manchester United.

City host FC Copenhagen in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Belgian De Bruyne has assisted on four of Haaland’s league goals, laying on two in Sunday’s Derby win.

“It’s insane, the passes, we find each other,” Haaland, who joined the Premier League champions in the close season, told City’s website in an interview.

“I have only been at the club a couple of months, but the chemistry feels so natural. This may be the best part. It’s natural, that I go on the run, and he finds me. When this feels natural, there is nothing better.

“It is fantastic, it is really something special, but we cannot forget about the others. Kevin is one player, but I could stand there all day and talk about everybody else. It is not only him, but there are also so many others and other amazing passes.”

While Haaland has been favourite with the fans for all the goals he scored, City manager Pep Guardiola has hailed Phil Foden as “exceptional” and said the club would like him to stay for years.

City can move a step closer to qualifying for the Champions League last 16 with a win on Wednesday following victories in their opening two Group G games.

Guardiola will not take his opponents lightly despite Copenhagen, the Danish champions, languishing in sixth place in the league, a difficult start that forced them to replace manager Jess Thorup with Jacob Neestrup last month.

“Always, I see the best of the opponents... I don’t watch the table or the position, I watch who they are as a team,” Guardiola said.

Ancelotti appeal

Real Madrid will have to be at their best to beat a dangerous Shakhtar Donetsk, coach Carlo Ancelotti said on Tuesday as he prepares his team for the Champions League Group F clash after a disappointing draw in La Liga at the weekend.

Karim Benzema missed a late penalty on Sunday as Real dropped their first points of the season in the league after being held 1-1 at home by Osasuna who had been reduced to 10 men late on.

Ancelotti stressed to his players that they need to up their game at home on Wednesday against a Shakhtar side who are unbeaten in their two Champions League games so far, the second being a 4-1 thrashing of RB Leipzig. The Ukrainian club are second in the group on four points, behind leaders Real on six.

“We want to improve and show another attitude, another identity considering that we are going to play against a dangerous team that started the group very well,” Ancelotti told a news conference.

He also backed Benzema to find his form again after returning from a three-week knee injury layoff and that the penalty miss against Osasuna was not a concern.

Written with inputs from Reuters