The striker was a peripheral figure in Saturday’s 2-1 Manchester derby defeat to the Red Devils, with just a couple of half chances and just 19 touches in the game.
Haaland has gone three games without a goal
Pep Guardiola has confessed that Manchester City must find a way to bring Erling Haaland into their game. The striker was a peripheral figure in Saturday’s 2-1 Manchester derby defeat to the Red Devils, with just a couple of half chances and just 19 touches in the game. The Norway international has gone three games without a goal – hardly a crisis, especially since he was only a second-half substitute at Southampton. Still, he has plunged by the standards of a player who had 27 in his first 21 away runs. But more visible was Haaland’s influence on City’s system after they’ve become so accustomed – and so successful at – operating false nine in the past two seasons. Former Manchester City midfielder Didi Hamann used social media on Saturday to claim that City “were the best team without Haaland, even if he’s scoring 40 goals this season.”
Guardiola is unlikely to agree with this, but he is still working on fully integrating his £51m summer signing. “At the moment, we have that process because when squads are sat in their 18-yard box, it is more challenging, but we have to find him a little more, yes,” said Guardiola. He had enough touches against United, but it’s true that when you look at the field, you have to look at him. But we will do it.”
Gary Neville: “With City, Erling Haaland is not getting services or does he need to do more? I’ll ask this question. Does he need to do more, or does he need to be patient? If Haaland starts to kick, if City starts to clean, if the defence starts to support a little more than it did, and they need Ruben Dias back if they can, I think they will win that.”
Man City always find a way to get results
City have struggled for consistency this season, especially since the World Cup, playing at home to Everton on New Year’s Day and now suffering defeats to Southampton in the Carabao Cup and Man Utd in the league. But Guardiola said such inconsistencies were not due to the change in a system that Haaland’s arrival set in motion. “I would say there was inconsistency in terms of results but not performances,” he said. “Overall, but not against Southampton, we were consistent in our games. Of course, we played better against Everton, but they had one shot on target, and we drew. They penalized you when before it didn’t happen. We always found a way to get results. If we played well or poorly, we always had that chance. I think that’s our strength, and we need to improve, but in terms of performance, I think we’re consistent “.
The Citizens took the lead at Old Trafford but crumbled after a controversial equalization by Bruno Fernandes, allowing Marcus Rashford to score what turned out to be the winner only four minutes later. But despite being disappointed with the result and frustrated with the decision to let Fernandes’ goal stand, the head coach was much happier with the performance. “We were there all the time. I could recognize my team,” he said. “That’s all I can say. At Southampton, what is it? What is this team? But it was the other way around. I have known my team for many, many years.”