‘It’s OUR fault. Erling has been impressive all season’: Pep Guardiola insists Haaland is not to blame for his lack of involvement in Man City’s attack – with the striker averaging just TWENTY touches per game in that period
- Erling Haaland has struggled to maintain his impressive goalscoring form of late
- The Norwegian has averaged approximately 20 touches per game this season
- Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola called for the issue to be a collective one
Pep Guardiola said Manchester City must take collective responsibility if Erling Haaland remains as isolated as he did in Leipzig this week.
Haaland – the 32-goal striker who has scored one in his last six appearances – was superb during the win against Arsenal earlier this month, before missing big chances against Nottingham Forest last weekend.
The Norwegian proved frustrated during Wednesday’s Champions League draw in Germany, constantly making unnoticed runs back.
“It’s our fault, not Erling,” said Guardiola. ‘With Erling, I was impressed. He has been impressive all season.
‘I don’t need metrics to know how many… when I finish the game, a second later I know if he was involved or not, and who should be more involved or not.
Erling Haaland has struggled to maintain his impressive scoring form for Man City of late
Pep Guardiola insisted Haaland’s lack of involvement was a collective issue and not his fault
‘I don’t need numbers, I know exactly. Of course, it’s up to us, not him. He moves well. Just take a look at it.
Guardiola maintained that Haaland’s threat meant opponents often doubled up against him, which should offer more space for others.
The 22-year-old has seemed morose in Germany – and has recently spoken about how he and his teammates need to tune in more – but his manager doesn’t think there are any major problems.
“In the last game you were right, not against Nottingham and not against Arsenal,” added Guardiola. ‘Don’t use a game to make a theory. He had chances at Nottingham in the first and second half.
‘Of course (we) have to improve and we will. We’ve talked about this many times and it will happen. Striker is the most difficult position in the world because you have two players focused on him and for Erling there are more. It’s not easy.
‘I’d like to see in my time here, with strikers we’ve had like Sergio (Aguero) or Gabriel (Jesus), when they play as proper strikers, not false nines, how many touches they’ve had.
‘I don’t have stats but we’re not going to take the ball and just give it to the striker. Lately in the last few games I said we have to have more control, more passes than usual. In the Leipzig game we should look at him a little more, but in the previous ones I don’t have that feeling’.
The Norwegian striker is averaging around 20 touches per game in the Premier League this season, despite scoring an impressive 26 league goals so far.
Manchester City are two points behind Arsenal in the Premier League title race.
Despite scoring a brilliant hat-trick against Wolves in January, Haaland has only scored once in his last four league games, marking his least fruitful spell at the club since joining for £51m last year.
Guardiola will want the Norwegian back firing on all cylinders as soon as possible as the defending champions chase their fifth Premier League title in six seasons.
City can stay five points adrift of league leaders Arsenal before they play Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon, with Mikel Arteta’s side set to face Leicester at King Power earlier in the day.
However, if the Gunners slip and suffer defeat against Brendan Rodgers’ side, City could regain their place at the top of the Premier League with a victory on the south coast.