Gyokeres rated above Haaland by Sporting captain Hjulmand

Sporting CP captain Morten Hjulmand hailed his team-mate Viktor Gyokeres as a superior striker to Erling Haaland ahead of Tuesday’s clash with Manchester City.

Sporting, who will lose head coach Ruben Amorim to Manchester United next week, face the Red Devils’ fierce rivals in their fourth Champions League game of the season.

That contest will pit two in-form Scandinavian strikers against one another as Sweden international Gyokeres takes on Norway superstar Haaland.

Gyokeres has been a revelation since swapping Coventry City for Sporting last season, scoring 34 goals in the Portuguese top flight this calendar year.

That is more than double the figure managed by the competition’s next-most prolific player, with Porto’s Galeno netting 16 times.

Gyokeres’ haul has come from an expected goals (xG) figure of 28.17, while his shot conversion rate of 27.9% also dwarfs that of nearest rival Galeno (19.5%) and he has scored 31 of 47 big chances in 2024.

His 61.2% big-chance conversion rate is the second-best of any player in Europe’s top 10 leagues, behind Jan Kliment, who has managed a 75% ratio for Czech side Sigma Olomouc.

As Gyokeres prepares to do battle with Haaland, who has 11 goals in 10 Premier League games this term, he has received a glowing endorsement from his skipper.

Asked which striker was the better player at Monday’s pre-match press conference, Hjulmand said: “Gyokeres, because he plays for Sporting.”

Outgoing boss Amorim, meanwhile, knows Sporting’s financial position means they will one day cash in on the Swede, who has been linked with several Premier League clubs.

“I don’t know Sporting’s plans, but if the right offer arrives they will have to sell,” Amorim said on Monday.

“He is an athlete who is at his peak and can give a lot, both in terms of money to his club, and income to the future club”.

Gyokeres already has 16 league goals for Sporting this season, the most of any player in Europe’s top 10 leagues ahead of Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski, who has 14.

Haaland is tied for third place, alongside Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane and Atalanta’s Mateo Retegui.

Gyokeres has also been directly involved in 10 goals in 12 appearances for Sporting in European competitions (seven goals, three assists), scoring on all four of his European starts at the Estadio Jose Alvalade.

He still has some way to go to match the Champions League exploits of Haaland, though.

The City talisman has been directly involved in 49 goals in 42 appearances in the competition (44 goals, five assists).

If he scores or assists on Tuesday, he will become the fastest player to 50 goal contributions in the competition’s history (43), overtaking Ruud van Nistelrooy for fewest appearances to reach that figure (45).