Most assumed after Kevin Durant left the Golden State Warriors in 2019 that their time atop the NBA mountain had come to an end.
There appeared to be significant evidence to support that school of thought when the Warriors spent the 2019-20 in the cellar as Stephen Curry joined Klay Thompson in being sidelined through injury, and an Achilles injury suffered by the latter helped leave Golden State ill-equipped to compete in 2020-21.
But after a season in which the Warriors meshed championship experience and difference-making youth, Golden State heads into the 2022-23 campaign back at the summit having seen off the Boston Celtics in six games in last term's NBA Finals.
Curry added the missing component of his Hall of Fame resume, winning Finals MVP for the first time in his illustrious career, and he and the Warriors are the bookmakers' favourites to lift the Larry O'Brien Trophy for the fifth time in nine seasons.
Yet their build-up to the new campaign is a reminder of the many obstacles, including internal ones, that can scupper hopes of sustained success, with Thompson held out of exhibition games in his first preseason since 2018-19 and an altercation between Draymond Green and Jordan Poole in which the former punched his young team-mate, overshadowing Golden State's preparations for a push for a second successive title.
It is an extremely difficult situation to navigate with both Green and Poole looking to receive lucrative contract extensions, and whether the Warriors can overcome the discord between two key players will play a huge role in their ability to successfully defend their crown, but what will be the other key factors, and who will be their primary competition? Stats Perform looks at the Warriors' odds of fending off their rivals and improving their standing among the best dynasties in NBA history.
Staying strong on defense
Though Curry was the obvious centrepiece of the Warriors' championship push, they would not have regained the title without the defensive strength displayed throughout the campaign.
Golden State allowed 105.5 points per game, the third-fewest in the NBA, with opponents shooting just 43.8 per cent against them from the field. Only the Celtics (43.4 per cent) fared better in that regard.
Though those numbers ballooned to 111.9 points per game and a field goal percentage of 48 in the postseason overall, the Warriors' Finals performance was in part defined by four stellar defensive performances.
Indeed, in each of their four Finals wins, the Warriors did not allow the Celtics to score 100 points. Boston's average points total across those games was 92.25. For context, the lowest points per game total in the regular season was the Oklahoma City Thunder's 103.7.
Though his standing is likely at an all-time low after the incident with Poole, Green is still the heartbeat of the defense. His defensive rating of 102.8 was the sixth-best among players to have featured in at least 50 regular-season games last season.
Green never lacks for motivation, but the fact he does not have an extension from Golden State and likely lost a lot of leverage after his fight with Poole may add even more fuel to his eternal fire. Andrew Wiggins (defensive rating - 105.4), whose defense on Jayson Tatum in the Finals drew effusive praise will also be key to the Warriors' success to containing opponents, while Kevon Looney (107.2) and returning veteran Andre Iguodala (97 in 31 games) will be tasked with providing crucial support on the defensive end.
Yet with Gary Payton II (102.2) and Otto Porter Jr. (103.2) departing for pastures new in free agency, the Warriors must replace the impact they had off the bench if they are to remain one of the NBA's premier defensive teams. While the Warriors made a free-agent addition with their defense in mind, there will be a significant onus on recent high-profile draft selections to have a consistent influence on that end of the floor.
The kids are (hopefully) alright
The Warriors did move to address the departures of Payton and Porter by signing Donte DiVincenzo, a member of the Milwaukee Bucks' championship-winning team whose defensive rating of 108.9 since entering the NBA in 2018 is tied for 43rd among players to have featured in at least 200 games in that span.
But the Warriors will also have been comfortable letting Payton and Porter walk because of the faith they have in recent draft picks to contribute on the defensive end.
Jonathan Kuminga finished his rookie year level with Payton for rebounds per 48 minutes with 9.5, and he was fourth on the team with 7.3 defensive boards every 48 minutes. The Warriors will look for him to use his exciting athleticism to harness that same efficiency over a higher number of minutes in 2022-23.
Moses Moody, the second of the Warriors' two 2021 first-rounders, had five defensive rebounds per 48 minutes and is seen as a player who could thrive as a three-and-d player at the highest level.
The three-ball provided significant joy for rookie Patrick Baldwin Jr. in the Warriors' second of two games with the Washington Wizards in Japan, in which he went four of five from deep. Any first-year success for Baldwin would be a luxury for Golden State. By contrast, they will likely view third-year strides from former second overall pick James Wiseman as a necessity.
Wiseman did not feature in the Warriors' championship campaign due to setbacks in his recovery from the torn meniscus that ended his rookie year. He has played only 39 games in the NBA having featured in just three in college, but the flashes he produced in his first year and in this year's Summer League provided evidence he can blossom into a dynamic center at both ends of the court for a team that has long since lacked a definitive answer at the 5 spot.
The Warriors do not lack answers in the frontcourt. The question they face this season is how they will divide the minutes of the three players who produced pivotal play at guard last campaign.
Stick with the Splash Brothers or go to the Poole party?
The Splash Brothers finally reunited last season as Thompson made his long awaited return from injury after over two years on the sideline.
By the time he made his comeback, the Warriors already had a 29-9 record, with their success in large part down to the combination Curry had formed with Poole, the Warriors' 2019 first-round pick who blossomed into a key part of their rotation.
Poole averaged 30 minutes a game in his third season and a career-high 18.5 points per game despite giving his starting role back to Thompson.
Across a much smaller sample size of 32 games compared to Poole's 76, Thompson averaged 20.4 points in his comeback season, though there is a case to be made the Warriors were more effective with Poole on the court.
Poole had a plus-minus per game of 4.3 to Thompson's 2.1 and had a marginally better field goal percentage. Thompson shot 42.9 per cent from the field while Poole converted on 44.8 per cent of field goal attempts.
As Thompson went cold in the NBA Finals, shooting at a 35.6 per cent clip, Poole shot 43.5 per cent against the Celtics and rattled through half of his field goal attempts in the postseason overall.
It is too early, though, to make the judgement that Thompson's best days are behind him and head coach Steve Kerr should lean more towards the energetic Poole. The challenge for Kerr is to find balance between relying on the spot-up ability of arguably the best catch-and-shoot player of the modern era and the young spark-plug with a well-rounded offensive game who can produce dazzling finishes at the basket and confound defenses with deep shooting.
Even if Kerr, who has suggested Thompson could play power forward this season, initially struggles to find that balance, it is unlikely to stop the Warriors from thriving, so long as Curry is available to Golden State. Curry's plus-minus per game of 7.9 was the second-best in the NBA last campaign, one that ended with him silencing any critics questioning his resume by averaging 31.2 points per game in the six games with the Celtics to win his first Finals MVP award.
The need for the right mix of Curry, Thompson and Poole will come if the former endures a drop-off, but having three players of their talents allows Kerr to be more experimental in the regular season and better preserve the two-time MVP for the postseason, when those looking to dethrone the Warriors will face the substantial challenge of trying to stymie his enduring brilliance.
West rivals flawed, but Bucks could set up mouth-watering Finals
The Warriors aren't short of challengers blessed with star power in the Western Conference, but it's tough to pick out many who have an overall roster that looks as strong as the one Kerr has as its disposal.
While the Phoenix Suns have an established but still youthful core that could allow them to push the Warriors, they are coming off an extremely chaotic offseason and will again be relying on 38-year-old Chris Paul as creator-in-chief. Curry's history of success against the 'Point God' suggests that is a matchup stacked firmly in Golden State's favour.
By contrast, Kawhi Leonard has consistently been a thorn in the side of the Warriors and he and Paul George will hope to lead a success-starved Los Angeles Clippers franchise to glory. However, such hopes rely on Leonard returning to his best in the wake of a long lay-off with a partially torn ACL. Similarly, the Denver Nuggets have the back-to-back MVP in Nikola Jokic, but his support comes from players in Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. who are both returning from long spells on the sideline. Without that pair, the Warriors breezed to a 4-1 first-round win over the Nuggets last season.
That was also the margin in the Western Conference Finals as the Warriors beat Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks. Simply put, the Slovenian superstar did not have enough around him, especially on defense, for the Mavs to compete with Golden State, and the Memphis Grizzlies were ill-equipped to upset the Warriors once Ja Morant went out with a knee injury in the previous round.
The problem is the same for so many teams in the West, who do not have the depth to beat the Warriors over seven games. The Los Angeles Lakers possess a star-studded lineup with LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook on the roster, but Darvin Ham has too many problems to fix surrounding their chemistry and even getting that trio on the court at the same time for the Lakers to be considered a legitimate threat to Golden State at this stage.
It is in the Eastern Conference where the teams that have the best shot of dethroning the Warriors reside. For all the drama in Brooklyn, the combination of Durant, Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons is still one that could deliver a title if their respective talents can be harnessed by Steve Nash, and former Net James Harden and Joel Embiid offer the Philadelphia 76ers a duo that could deliver a long-awaited championship.
Erik Spoelstra's coaching, Jimmy Butler's frequently tireless performances and the well-rounded nature of their roster makes the Miami Heat a tough team to rule out but, in terms of top-end talent and depth, it is the Celtics and the non-Miami team they beat in seven games last season, the Milwaukee Bucks, who stand as the Warriors' biggest threats.
The Celtics' offseason was overshadowed by the scandal surrounding suspended head coach Ime Udoka, but they are led by two stars in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown who are both 25 or under and should be better for the experience of losing in the Finals.
Yet the argument could be made the Celtics never would have got beyond the second round had the Bucks had Khris Middleton available for Game 7.
Giannis Antetokounmpo's athleticism, length and all-round skill set still makes him the most physically fearsome player in the NBA and, when both Middleton and Jrue Holiday are healthy, the Bucks have a big three to rival any team in scoring, facilitation and defense.
Milwaukee had eight players average at least nine points last year and seven are still on the team. Plenty can and will change over the course of a long season but, heading into a year in which everyone will be desperate to knock them off, the team most likely to prevent the Warriors from retaining the trophy is the team that lifted it before them.
Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra will take a five-stroke lead into the final round at LIV Golf Bangkok after ending a brilliant second day in Thailand at 16 under par.
Lopez-Chacarra was one of a leading trio on seven under after the first round, but Richard Bland was unable to keep up with the Spaniard and Branden Grace withdrew after just three holes on Saturday due to an acute muscle strain.
Bland is one of four five shots off the lead with Sihwan Kim, Patrick Reed and Harold Varner III – while they may not be completely out of the running yet, the chasing pack need Lopez-Chacarra to lose momentum.
If his form from the first two rounds is anything to go by, there is little hope of such a collapse, with no one in the field bettering his respective scores of 65 and 63.
Saturday's 63 was nine under par as the 22-year-old – who was a high-ranked amateur before joining LIV Golf in June – carded seven birdies and an eagle, which was holed from the sand on six, and avoided a single bogey.
Those trailing Lopez-Chacarra will be hoping the Madrid native's inexperience leads to a blip on Sunday.
Four-time major winner Brooks Koepka is one of those who will aim to propel himself into contention as he sits on 10 under for the tournament, though victory will require something special.
Few other big names retain much of a chance of glory, however, with Bryson DeChambeau at seven under and Phil Mickelson another shot back.
Sergio Garcia and Dustin Johnson are among a group on four under, while 2022 Open Championship winner Cameron Smith is way down near the bottom of the standings at two under.
If Lopez-Chacarra can hold his nerve on Sunday, he will have gone from amateur golfer to winner of a $4million purse within four months.
The Washington Commanders are set to hand rookie running back Brian Robinson Jr. his first reps against the Tennessee Titans, completing a remarkable recovery.
The third-rounder was shot twice in an attempted robbery in Washington, D.C. on August 28, where he was fortunate as the bullets passed clean through his lower body.
Robinson has undergone his first week in training after being activated from the team's non-football injury list and will immediately be elevated into the team, Ian Rapoport states.
The rookie will play back-up to starter Antonio Gibson and the plan is for Robinson to receive about 20 snaps in the Week 5 contest.
Offensive coordinator Scott Turner has been impressed by Robinson's displays and said the team is excited for him to take to the field.
"He looked great at practice. He's not going to come in and just carry the ball 30 times," Turner told reporters.
"It's his first time ever playing in the NFL too. He's a rookie, so there's going to be a period of kind of getting him going. But I think we're all excited.
"He's going to give us some juice and that physical presence and just a good all-around back."
The Commanders hold a 1-3 record in 2022 and stand as the only side in the NFC East without a winning record.
Bayern Munich would not consider selling a player of Jude Bellingham's quality if the Borussia Dortmund midfielder was at the Allianz Arena, according to Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.
England international Bellingham is into his third campaign with Bundesliga side Dortmund and is considered one of the finest talents in world football, having impressed for both club and country.
The 19-year-old this week captained BVB to a 4-1 win at Sevilla, where he became only the second teenager to score in the first three games of a Champions League campaign after former team-mate Erling Haaland at Salzburg in the 2019-20 season.
Bellingham's continued fine form has led to strong talk from Spain that Real Madrid are already in talks to sign the youngster at the end of the season, although they may face competition from Premier League heavyweights Chelsea and Liverpool.
Dortmund would reportedly be open to selling Bellingham if a big enough offer is tabled, but Rummenigge insists that would never be the case at rivals Bayern, whom he spent nearly 30 years with as part of the club's board.
"As a rule, Bayern Munich do not need to sell players in order to improve their balance sheet," long-serving Bayern CEO Rummenigge told Funke Mediengruppe.
"At Dortmund, there is already talk of Bellingham leaving. Bayern would not sell such a player."
Bellingham's tally of three Champions League goals this season is already a joint-high among English teenagers for a single campaign, along with Manchester United's Wayne Rooney in the 2004-05 season.
He has featured 102 times for Dortmund in all competitions since arriving from Birmingham City in July 2020 and been capped 17 times by England at senior level – a tally he is certain to add to at this year's World Cup.
And former England centre-back Rio Ferdinand recently commented he believes Bellingham is ahead of any other previous midfielders at the same age.
"What he's doing in his position at his age, we haven't seen," Ferdinand told BT Sport. "The best of our generation, [Frank] Lampard, [Steven] Gerrard, [Paul] Scholes, [Patrick] Vieira, Roy Keane, they weren't doing this.
"He's still got to go on and prove it over a long period of time, but they weren't doing what he is doing right now [at the same age]. Influencing games at this level, captaining teams at this level, and mentally this kid's a beast."
Jon Rahm wishes the LIV Golf International Series defectors could play at the Ryder Cup, though he conceded "it does not look good" for the rebels' hopes.
The controversial Saudi-backed breakaway league continues to battle for world ranking points for its defectors, with the LIV Golf players also indefinitely banned from featuring on the PGA Tour.
Those bans mean the United States golfers that defected will not be able to compete at the Ryder Cup in Rome next September, while European players are awaiting a hearing in February on the sanctions.
A positive outcome for the Europeans who play on the LIV Golf circuit would see the DP World Tour unable to sanction the rebels, with Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Sam Horsfield hoping to feature in Italy.
While Rahm has opposed the breakaway league, alongside likely Team Europe colleague Rory McIlroy, he expressed his disappointment that the best players may not be present at the Ryder Cup.
"The Ryder Cup is not the PGA Tour and European Tour against LIV – it's Europe versus the US, period," Rahm said.
"The best of each against the other, and for me the Ryder Cup is above all. I wish they could play but it doesn't look good."
Recent reports suggest Sergio Garcia has ruled himself out of Ryder Cup contention regardless of the hearing result.
The Spaniard failed to submit an entry for the Mallorca Open later in the month, meaning he will not meet the appearance requirements to retain his membership.
"It is a complicated situation for Sergio," Rahm added. "I understand he decided not to play because the last time he played a tournament on the European circuit he was not received very well, although I imagine it would be different in Mallorca.
"In any case, there are still days left and you can still sign up."
Antony says Manchester United must "impose our game" when they face in-form Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday.
United hit back from a humiliating 6-3 defeat to rivals Manchester City last weekend with a 3-2 victory at Omonia Nicosia in the Europa League on Thursday.
The Red Devils face another tricky test when they visit an Everton side looking to win three consecutive Premier League games for the first time since March 2021, when Carlo Ancelotti was in charge.
Antony is prepared for a battle on Merseyside at a stadium where they were beaten 1-0 last season.
The told Premier League Productions: "We know it’s going to be a difficult, tough game.
"My team-mates have already spoken to me about this fixture. They said it will be difficult. We have to impose our game, show our strength.
"We shouldn’t get worked up and let our heads go down because of one game, one result. Sadly, we lost the last [Premier League] game but, when you think about it, we’ve beaten Liverpool and the league leaders Arsenal.
"Our season can’t be summarised by just one game. We’re now focused on the match against Everton and, God willing, we will get the three points."
Antony has impressed since joining from Ajax and will hope to become the first United player to score in their first three Premier League games for the club with another strike against Everton.
The Brazil international says his goalscoring form is a result of his hard work on the training ground, adding: "I’ve always worked very hard and the results are a consequence of this.
"I’ll always give 100 per cent, regardless of whether I score or not. It was nice to score another goal [against City] though, unfortunately, we lost the game.
"I was training that shot the day before the game. I hit about 10 to 15 balls and, thankfully, I was able to score the goal.
"Now it’s time to prepare and train more, correct mistakes, move in the right direction and achieve great things."
Xavi revealed Frenkie de Jong could start in defence on his return from injury when Barcelona welcome Celta Vigo in LaLiga.
The Blaugrana are aiming to remain at the LaLiga summit as they seek a response from the midweek Champions League defeat by Inter.
De Jong is back in the squad having missed his side's last two matches after sustaining a thigh injury while on international duty with the Netherlands last month.
Though he did not confirm the midfielder would start at Camp Nou, Xavi indicated he could fill in at centre-half in the absence of the likes of Ronald Araujo and Andreas Christensen.
When asked about De Jong at his pre-match press conference, the head coach said: "He's 100 per cent. We'll see what we decide tomorrow.
"Frenkie can play centre-back, we've already tried it. He is powerful and fast, but there are other alternatives. There is versatility in the dressing room."
One of those alternatives could be 19-year-old Chadi Riad, who would make his senior Barca debut should he feature against Vigo.
"We know him from last year and the pre-season," Xavi said. "He is aggressive, with good output ... he has a future. We follow him. He can prove things, he can become important."
Xavi also urged his players to lend leading marksman Robert Lewandowski a hand on the goalscoring front.
The Poland skipper has scored nine of their 19 goals in LaLiga this term, with his nearest challengers Ansu Fati and Ousmane Dembele both netting just twice apiece thus far.
"We have to improve the goals without him," the head coach observed. "And also improve fouls, shoot from outside the area... everyone must contribute goals. We have to improve the scoring ability of those at the top.
"We need to shoot more when we have the ball, find that final pass, find the right solutions. We must improve and be more competitive. You have to be more optimistic in front of goal."
Daniel Ricciardo has conceded he does not expect to have a place on the Formula One grid next year following the latest announcements in the paddock.
The Australian will leave McLaren at the end of this season and will be replaced by Oscar Piastri.
An opening on the grid at Alpine, where Ricciardo previously raced while the team was under the Renault mantle, has closed following confirmation of Pierre Gasly's deal – with his place at AlphaTauri being taken by Nyck de Vries.
That leaves only positions at Williams and Haas available for 2023 and Ricciardo believes there could be better options available the following year.
"Yeah, to be honest, the Gasly news I was aware of, I knew they were talking for a while and I knew though they were very interested in Pierre," he told ESPN.
"Let's say I was prepared for that and no surprise, so we were trying to, let's say navigate, our way around that and figure out what was next.
"But I think the reality is now I won't be on the grid in 2023, I think it's now just trying to set up for 2024.
"I think that there could be some better opportunities then so that's really what all this confirms and now where the sights are set."
Ricciardo has been linked with reserve driver roles for 2023, including at Mercedes, and has previously made it clear he intends to remain in F1 and will not seek an entry into a different motorsport series.
Cristiano Ronaldo must "stay patient" and take his opportunities when they arise if he is to reignite his career, according to former Manchester United team-mate Wayne Rooney.
Portugal international Ronaldo has endured a difficult time of things in his second season back at Old Trafford, having started just one of United's seven Premier League games.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner led the scoring charts for United in the previous campaign with 24 goals, but his only goal in nine outings this term was a penalty against Sheriff.
That came in the Europa League, a competition Ronaldo – the Champions League's all-time record scorer – is now having to use to prove himself to manager Erik ten Hag.
Rooney, who played alongside Ronaldo between 2004 and 2009, says his former colleague will be finding life on the substitutes' bench tough but can still turn things around.
"The manager's obviously gone a different way in terms of how they're playing and been successful," said D.C. United head coach Rooney.
"Cristiano... him and [Lionel] Messi are two of the greatest players to ever play the game, but ultimately time catches up with us all.
"He's obviously not the player he was when he was 22 or 23, for instance. It's a tough one for him.
"Knowing him, it'll be very difficult to sit on the bench. I'm sure if he stays patient, his chance will come and it's then him taking those chances and trying to force his way back in."
This is the first season since 2005-06, during his first spell at United, that Ronaldo has failed to score in his opening six league appearances.
The Sporting CP academy product has had 12 shots across 207 minutes without scoring in the top flight this season, generating an expected goals (xG) value of 0.8.
Only playmaker Christian Eriksen (1.2) has a higher xG among United players who have yet to score in the league this term.
Ronaldo is expected to be part of United's squad for Sunday's trip to Everton, against whom the Red Devils have won just one of their past seven league matches.
Matthew Wade says a crushing defeat to England in the last T20 World Cup was a "lightbulb moment" for Australia as the two sides prepare to do battle in a three-match series.
England hammered Australia by eight wickets with 50 balls to spare in the group stage of the T20 World Cup last year, but Aaron Finch's side went on to win the title for the first time.
Australia opted to go with a longer batting line-up after that crushing loss rather than pick five bowlers and reaped the rewards, beating New Zealand in the final.
The holders start the defence of their crown on home soil against the Black Caps at the SCG on October 22, but before then they take on an England side who are among the favourites to dethrone them.
Wicketkeeper-batter Wade feels the manner in which they were dismantled by England was a "turning point".
He said ahead of the opening match of the series at Perth Stadium: "They destroyed us in the World Cup. It was probably a turning point for the way we go about playing T20.
"We had to start to go a little bit harder, especially towards the top and then back end it with seven batters. We stuck to that formula after they destroyed us in the World Cup.
"So we're looking forward to playing them and see whether our game style [continues to work] – since then [it] has changed a little bit and hopefully we can go blow for blow with them.
"We've got seven batters now – we played six batters for a long time … but now we've got the power and we've got the depth of batting that I think you need to go with a team like England. You need to be able to score 200 to beat them on their day."
Captain Jos Buttler returns for a calf injury to lead England and Test skipper Ben Stokes is back after missing the 4-3 series win in Pakistan, but Liam Livingstone (ankle) remains sidelined.
England have won four of the past five T20Is between the two fierce rivals, but Australia have been victorious in seven of the last eight contests on home soil.
Smith in the spotlight
Australia completed a 2-0 whitewash of West Indies at The Gabba on Friday, but Steve Smith missed out once again as he fell for 17.
The former captain has not scored a T20I half-century since November 2019 and could do with some runs against England.
With Tim David having staked his claim for a place in the side and all-rounder Marcus Stoinis returning, Smith is in the spotlight.
Hales and Salt battling for opening berth
The return of Buttler at the top of the order means England will have to choose between Alex Hales and Phil Salt for the other opening spot.
Hales made a half-century in his long-awaited England comeback in the first match of the series against Pakistan, but fell for under 20 on three occasions.
Salt blasted a stunning unbeaten 88 from 41 balls in the sixth T20I in Lahore, but it remains to be seen if he will retain his place.
India bowler Deepak Chahar faces a race back to fitness for the T20 World Cup after being ruled out of the final two ODIs against South Africa due to a back injury.
The 30-year-old was absent for the first match of the ODI series on Thursday, which South Africa won by nine runs, after struggling with a back issue in the third T20I against the Proteas earlier in the month.
With the World Cup following in Australia later in October, India have been dealt another injury blow having also lost quick Jasprit Bumrah to injury.
Chahar was named as a reserve for the World Cup, alongside fellow seamer Mohammed Shami, though the extent of the former's injury remains unknown as he heads back to Bengaluru to be monitored.
It is not the first time Chahar has suffered injury problems having already missed six months of action this year due to fitness issues.
All-rounder Washington Sundar has been called up as Chahar's replacement for the remainder of the ODI series in South Africa.
Erling Haaland could hit 50 Premier League goals this season if he can stay fit, according to Manchester City team-mate Manuel Akanji.
The Norway international has demolished numerous records amid an incredible start to life in England, scoring 19 goals across 12 games in all competitions this term.
Haaland netted a brace in a 5-0 midweek thrashing of Copenhagen, taking him to 28 strikes in 22 appearances in the Champions League, a goals-per-game record of 1.27.
The 22-year-old next faces Southampton on Saturday after becoming the first player in Premier League history to score hat-tricks in three straight games following his last treble against Manchester United.
With 12 goals in eight league games, Haaland will eye the single-season top-flight records of Alan Shearer and Andy Cole, who both got 34 in a single campaign, and Akanji backed his colleague to keep firing.
Asked if Haaland could hit a half-century, Akanji responded: “If he stays healthy then I think there is nothing that can stop him, yes."
City have won their past eight Premier League home games, managing at least three goals each time, and could at least temporarily leapfrog leaders Arsenal with victory over Southampton.
Pep Guardiola's side have scored 29 goals after eight games, which is the joint-most at this stage of a Premier League campaign, and will be hoping Haaland can fire again to take them to the summit.
Kyle Walker-Peters will be one Saints defender aiming to stop the free-scoring Norwegian, though he thinks it is too early to draw comparisons between the City striker and Tottenham talisman Harry Kane.
"Come on," he told talkSPORT. "Harry Kane has done it for how many years in the Premier League?
“I think Haaland has had an absolutely unbelievable start. Some of the stats I’m seeing, it’s just ridiculous.
"But Kane has proven it for God knows how many years now. I don't think we can compare them just yet. Haaland is definitely hungry to prove to people he's better than him [Kane].
"And Kane will want to stay at the top. So they'll have a good battle for top goalscorer."
Fabinho says Liverpool's showdown with Premier League leaders Arsenal will provide a great opportunity for the Reds to "get our confidence back" as they look to improve their recent form.
Jurgen Klopp's side have endured a slow start to the Premier League season and are already 11 points behind the Gunners after their opening seven games.
The trip to the Emirates is the third of nine matches that Liverpool will play across all competitions in October, while they welcome reigning champions Manchester City to Anfield next weekend.
And with games coming thick and fast, Fabinho has called for focus from his team-mates as they look to build momentum and embark on a run of positive results.
"[The] Emirates is a nice place to play and Arsenal, of course, are in a really good moment right now, playing really well, winning their games, top of the league," the Brazil international told Liverpool's official website.
"It's a good opportunity for us as well to show that we are Liverpool, we are still one of the best teams in this league. So, it's a good opportunity for us to get the three points and to close the gap on these teams as well.
"I always say that this is the moment every player likes; playing every three or four days. Different competitions to play – Champions League, Premier League – so a lot of big games to play.
"In the league, our next two games are against maybe the better two teams at the moment, Arsenal and Man City. So, what an opportunity for us to play against these teams, to play these kind of games to get our confidence back.
"This moment is not good, and it's not easy when we know you can do better, you can play better, you can win more and more games. We just have to keep focused, keep concentrating, try our best to turn this situation."
Lockie Ferguson could miss the entire T20I tri-series against Pakistan and Bangladesh as New Zealand aim to protect the fast bowler's fitness for the T20 World Cup.
The 31-year-old missed last year's World Cup due to a calf tear and, after a minor abdominal injury, New Zealand head coach Gary Stead has suggested Ferguson could miss the ongoing tri-series in Christchurch.
The Blackcaps are already without Daryl Mitchell after the batter fractured his hand in training on Friday, while spinner Mitchell Santner will join the squad on Sunday after a paternity break.
"Lockie has a little ab injury at the moment. We're just managing that and the most important thing is we get to the start of the World Cup and Lockie is ready to go," Stead said.
"He's a very, very important cog in our bowling line-up. Unfortunately for him, he missed last year's World Cup with the injury he had then.
"I mean we are mindful of it and we want to make sure that he's right and ready for those early games in the World Cup.
"There is that chance [of him missing the entire tri-series]. We will just see how he responds to treatment over the next few days."
Adam Milne is another Blackcaps bowler to suffer from persistent injury issues, with New Zealand aiming to rebuild the 30-year-old's fitness ahead of the World Cup later this month.
"It's the first time I've had eyes live on Milne at the nets and he looked really good," Stead said.
"We're pleased with what we are seeing there and again he is coming off a reasonably extensive injury break as well, so just managing him and making sure he's right will be the most important thing for us in these four games."
While New Zealand scramble for options in their fast-bowling department, Mitchell hopes to be back in action ahead of the first game of the T20 World Cup against Australia on October 22.
"Obviously, not ideal timing, but we've got some good news around where the fracture is in the hand and the time frame to be ready for the first game in Australia in a couple of weeks' time," Mitchell told Spark Sport on the sidelines of New Zealand's tri-series opener against Pakistan on Saturday.
"We'll do everything we can to try and be ready and fingers crossed that I'll be good to go."
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