Haaland Called England the World Cup Favorites. England Called It Mind Games.

Nico O’Reilly sees what Erling Haaland is doing. And he’s not buying it.

England’s left back spent part of Thursday accusing his Manchester City teammate of playing mind games ahead of Saturday’s World Cup quarterfinal between England and Norway in Miami. Haaland had spent the previous day calling England the “clear favorites” to win the match. That didn’t sit right with O’Reilly.

“Yeah, mind games,” O’Reilly said when asked about Haaland’s comments. “But they’re a good team as well. They’ve showed that throughout the whole tournament.”

Here’s the context. Norway just pulled off a stunner in the round of 16, beating Brazil 2-1 on two late goals from Haaland. That’s the first time Norway has ever reached a World Cup quarterfinal. Meanwhile England went to Mexico City and beat the co-hosts 3-2 at the Estadio Azteca while playing a man down for most of the second half. Both teams arrive in Florida with serious momentum.

Haaland is one goal behind Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot race. He’s scored in every game this tournament. England knows that. What they also know is that Norway isn’t just one guy.

“It’s not just certain players that we need to worry about,” O’Reilly said. “They’re good collectively, and it’s going to be a good game.”

O’Reilly will have a front-row seat for the Haaland problem. He plays alongside him at City, same as defenders Marc Guehi and John Stones. That familiarity cuts both ways. England knows how Haaland moves in the box. They also know how hard it is to stop him when he gets service.

“Erling’s Erling,” O’Reilly said. “We all know what he’s like. He can score goals. He’s dangerous in the box, and he’s a real threat. But they need to get him the ball in first. A lot goes into it.”

The math is simple from England’s side. Limit Haaland’s touches in dangerous areas and their odds of winning go way up. That’s easier said than done when he’s been the tournament’s most clinical finisher, but the plan isn’t complicated.

“I think keeping Erling quiet gives us a real chance to win the game,” O’Reilly said. “We know the threat he can cause. Unbelievable striker, world-class, and he showed that throughout the tournament, scoring every game he’s played in.”