Being Erling Haaland’s understudy is no easy task — but Julian Alvarez is currently perfecting the role for Manchester City.

The 22-year-old forward arrived at City from River Plate last summer but has largely been upstaged by fellow recruit Haaland’s blistering start to life at the Etihad.

But with the Norwegian struggling for fitness of late, Alvarez has come to the fore, scoring in starts against Sevilla and Fulham.

Ahead of another potential run-out against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup third round tonight, we turn the spotlight on the Argentinian.

A big talent

While his Premier League move may not have been as widely heralded as that of his Norwegian team-mate, Alvarez came to England with a burgeoning reputation.

A tally of 54 goals in 122 games for River Plate saw the striker become known as one of South America’s hottest prospects.

With a turn of pace and dribbling ability allowing him to be deadly across the front three, a large collection of Europe’s elite clubs had been fighting it out for his signature.

So when he eventually chose to join Pep Guardiola’s men, many rejected suitors were left extremely disappointed.

Taking his opportunities

With Haaland extraordinarily scoring 23 goals in his last 16 City games, it is hard to think of a single player in world football capable of displacing him in the starting XI right now.

Yet Alvarez has made his mark at his new club too, rarely failing to deliver on the few times he has been given a chance.

Firstly, Alvarez scored only 12 minutes into his debut in City’s Community Shield defeat to Liverpool, before he struck twice on his first Premier League start, a 6-0 thrashing of Nottingham Forest.

It was the same story on his full Champions League debut — clinically tapping home the fifth in a rampant 5-0 reverse of FC Copenhagen.

While he has had to regularly bide his time between these moments, Alvarez has been handed more chances since Haaland’s recent struggles with illness and injury.

The Citizens' No19 scored once and assisted a further two in a 3-1 win over Sevilla last week, before he opened the scoring versus Fulham a few days later.

Alvarez knows that at a club like City, you have to impress whenever an opportunity presents itself and with a goal or assist every 109 minutes, he has certainly done that so far.

A worthy deputy

Guardiola has even admitted that had Haaland not been around, he would have no qualms in handing Alvarez far more than just the 765 minutes he has so far this term.

The Catalan coach said: "I have the impression that if Erling [Haaland] were not there, Julian [Alvarez] would probably be the first option with a lot of minutes and he would accept it well.

"Normally, I play with a striker and sometimes it's hard for them to get in, because Erling is very strong now, but like against Crystal Palace there are many days that I play with two strikers. 

"Julian is a player that we are all very surprised by his level and his training sessions and how little he has played."

Biding his time

Alvarez will be well aware that it is important to be patient when you arrive into Guardiola’s squad.

He only has to look at the likes of Bernardo Silva, Rodri and Joao Cancelo to see that limited minutes in your first season can often lead to becoming a key player in your second or third.

And with Haaland’s long-term future at City far from certain — a dream move to Real Madrid is still hotly tipped — a place as Guardiola’s main goalscorer could be up for grabs a couple of years down the road.

For now though, Alvarez is just savouring the opportunity to play with and learn from Europe’s deadliest marksman.

On City’s No9, Alvarez said: "It’s a privilege playing with him and it is always great to play alongside the best in the world.

"I think we can learn from each other both ways. I like how he always wants to bring the best to the team."

Promising partnership

With Haaland seemingly undroppable when fit, instances where Guardiola decides to play with two strikers look like Alvarez’s best opportunities to get minutes.

Of course, for a manager who in recent seasons has played without a recognised striker in his XI, fitting two in seems a difficult task.

But there are certainly instances of both Alvarez and Haaland impressing together.

Alvarez’s introduction against Crystal Palace proved the catalyst for a thrilling 4-2 comeback win in which Haaland grabbed a hat-trick, while the pair scored five between them against Forest in August.

After they shone together in a cameo against Wolves in September, Guardiola said: "It is the second time I see Julian and Erling together in the last minutes. I like it together. A little bit more aggressive.

"It depends on them, the performance, the connection with them, they look at each other, they connected really well, so Erling passed to Julian and Julian to Erling in the short passes in that moment, they are not selfish, they look for each other."

If Alvarez continues to impress, Guardiola may be forced to deploy a system which allows both of his in-form strikers to flourish more often.