Erling Haaland is the striker Manchester City needed and suggestions the Norwegian only scores "easy" goals are "a lie", according to his team-mate Ederson.
Haaland has scored 32 goals in 31 appearances for City across all competitions since his move from Borussia Dortmund last year – more than any other player from Europe's top five leagues.
He has hit 26 of those goals in the Premier League, but with City struggling to pull clear of Arsenal and Manchester United in the title race, the 22-year-old has attracted criticism recently.
Arsenal great Thierry Henry suggested Tottenham's Harry Kane may have been a better fit for City, while former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher said Haaland "might have picked the wrong club".
However, Ederson believes Haaland is well-suited to City's style, though he acknowledges Pep Guardiola's men have had to adapt to his characteristics.
"When he arrived, we said he was going to score a lot – and that's been happening. He is a brilliant goalscorer, he always looks to score and help the team," Ederson told UEFA.com.
"He is the striker we needed, because in comparison to Gabriel [Jesus], they are different players. Gabi likes to come in from out wide, he is stronger and more versatile. Haaland plays more centrally, looking to get into the box, he is a target in the area.
"That has been the major difference. When you get into the final third you have someone who will always be in the area.
"Many people say most of the goals he scores are easy – but that is a lie. It's his positioning – that's his best ability. He doesn't score easy goals, he positions himself very well.
"I hope he continues to score many goals, making us happy and we'll keep working together for all the titles."
City return to Champions League action when they visit RB Leipzig for the first leg of their last-16 tie on Wednesday, and with Haaland netting 28 times in 23 appearances in the competition throughout his career, the club hope his finishing ability will help deliver their first European crown.
Ederson is in no doubt as to the importance of continental success to City, saying: "That's our main objective, the main objective of the club.
"We've been trying [to win it] and will carry on trying. We haven't won it yet, we reached the final [in 2021], and a few semi-finals, and we didn't come out of it with a good result.
"But I think this year, we're more than capable of getting to the final and challenging for the title.
"Now this title is what the club needs, it's what we athletes need and it's what Guardiola needs here at the club, too. This year, we're going to try. We're going after it."
Haaland scored six goals in four appearances against Leipzig during his time with Dortmund, averaging a goal every 60 minutes against them.
Columbus Crew 4-0 New England Revolution: Matan nets hat-trick in huge win
The Columbus Crew ended their home regular-season campaign on a high note by thrashing the New England Revolution 4-0.
Reigning MLS Cup champions Columbus had already sealed their playoff spot and a regular-season club-record tally of points prior to Saturday's fixture at Lower.com Field.
Yet Wilfried Nancy's team did not let up as Alexandru Matan's hat-trick propelled them to an emphatic victory over a New England side that must lick their wounds after a dismal season.
DeJuan Jones got the ball rolling with a sublime curler in the fourth minute, with Matan subsequently taking centre-stage.
The Romanian drilled home a low finish in the 14th minute, before doubling his tally from close range in the 64th.
Matan should have scored a third when he was put through one-on-one with Aljaz Ivacic, only to fire straight at the goalkeeper, but the hat-trick strike did arrive when he capitalised on a similar chance soon after.
While New England's only target in their final game of the season is to try and move above Nashville SC at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, the Crew will aim to keep up the momentum heading into the postseason when they visit the New York Red Bulls.
Data Debrief: Free-scoring Crew in fine form
The Crew have now won four of their last seven MLS games, and have scored in each of their last six, netting 17 times in total (an average of 2.8 per game).
They have also kept it tight at the back this season, with Saturday's clean sheet marking their 12th shutout of the campaign, a tally bettered only by the Seattle Sounders (13).
New England, meanwhile, have failed to score in 10 of their 33 games in 2024. Only Nashville (11) have failed to score more often in the MLS this season.
United States 2-0 Panama: Musah and Pepi get Pochettino off to a winning start
Mauricio Pochettino's stint as United States boss got off to a winning start as the Stars and Stripes overcame Panama 2-0.
Saturday's friendly in Austin represented a reunion with Panama for USA, who had lost to the central American team in this year's Copa America.
That defeat ultimately proved crucial in paving the way for a group-stage exit, which led to Gregg Berhalter's dismissal and, eventually, Pochettino's arrival.
Pochettino had to wait until the 49th minute in Austin to see his team score their first goal, with Yunus Musah tucking in his first USA goal from Christian Pulisic's delivery.
Matt Turner pulled off some impressive stops to keep USA ahead, while Puma Rodriguez and Jose Fajardo both saw good chances pass them by.
Deep in second-half stoppage time, USA substitute Pepi settled the contest, sweeping home after a fine pass from Haji Wright.
Data Debrief: Pochettino gets the ball rolling
Pochettino is renowned for front-foot, attacking football, and there was plenty of evidence of the shackles coming off in the first half, with seven different USA players involved in at least one shot, either by having an attempt themselves or creating a chance.
USA finished with 1.7 expected goals (xG) from their 11 shots, and even though Panama had more attempts (13), the visitors only mustered 0.89 xG, showing Pochettino's side limited their opponents in terms of clear-cut opportunities.
Goalscorer Musah became the second player in USA history to play over 3,000 minutes before turning 22, while Pepi once again proved decisive from the bench. He has scored six goals as a substitute in his international career, equalling Pulisic for second-most in team history, behind Eddie Johnson (seven).
Mexico are next up for USA, so Pochettino needs to be ready for an altogether different test.
Ederson lauds 'sometimes annoying' Guardiola
Ederson says it is an honour to be a part of Pep Guardiola's Manchester City, though admitted the manager can be "sometimes annoying".
The goalkeeper joined City in June 2017 and has since kept 113 clean sheets in 257 Premier League appearances, more than any other goalkeeper in the competition since his debut.
He has won 15 major trophies with City, including six Premier Leagues, two FA Cups and a Champions League title, as well as the UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup under Guardiola.
While on international duty with Brazil, Ederson attended an event for Children's Day and was asked if Guardiola was nice, annoying or angry by one child.
"You're going to get me in trouble," Ederson told ESPN Brasil. "He's all three.
"He's a nice guy, he's sometimes annoying, in the sense of [being] demanding, because he has to [be] demanding to a professional [player], and he's also angry when he has to be angry.
"So he has a mixture of all three. But he's a nice guy off the pitch, and he's a very, very demanding guy on it. And he's also a guy who gets angry like any other person, like any other coach, when things don't go well or when the team doesn't play well.
"Of course, we know that we're not going to be able to play 70 games at a brilliant level. Of course, in one game or another, there's going to be a dip."
Under Guardiola, City became the only English club in history to hold all five trophies – Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup, Super Cup and Club World Cup – in a calendar year (in 2023).
In the English top-flight, Guardiola has overseen 311 games since July 2016, winning 230 of those (D43 L38). He has a 73.95% win percentage in the competition and averages 2.36 points per game.
And Ederson believes the Spaniard, who has been named the Premier League manager of the season five times, has changed football in the competition.
"I've been able to play a big part in the project," he said. "You take everything Guardiola has built up with the group, with the squad and everything he's been able to reformulate practically.
"You see every Premier League game today, how the teams try to play more football, have more possession. It's completely different from when he arrived.
"So to be able to be part of this project and achieve everything I've achieved, I feel very honoured, it really is a childhood dream."
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