Guardiola refrains from blaming Haaland for Man City's struggles

 

PEP GUARDIOLA DEFENDS ERLING HAALAND, REFUSING TO HOLD HIM RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS RARE GOAL-SCORING DIFFICULTIES DURING MANCHESTER CITY'S POOR RUN OF FORM

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has stood by his star striker Erling Haaland despite the Norwegian enduring a rare slump in front of goal during the club’s troubling run of form. The defending Premier League champions have struggled to maintain their typically high standards, leading to a string of disappointing results that have left fans and pundits searching for answers.

Haaland, who set an astonishing record with 36 league goals last season, has seen his prolific touch desert him in recent weeks. While the towering forward continues to dominate the opposition’s defensive attention, his conversion rate has dipped, raising questions about his role in the team's recent struggles.

However, Guardiola, known for his unwavering loyalty to his players, has refused to pin the blame on Haaland. Speaking to the media after City’s latest setback, the Spaniard emphasized the collective responsibility of the team and dismissed the notion of singling out individuals.

“Erling is an exceptional player, and we all know what he can do,” Guardiola stated. “But football is not about one player. The team has to perform as a unit, and right now, we are not at our best. Blaming Erling for that is unfair. He is still giving everything for the team.”

The City boss also pointed out that Haaland's lack of goals is partly due to changes in how opponents are defending against his side. With teams employing deeper defensive blocks and focusing on nullifying the striker’s impact, City has faced greater challenges in creating clear-cut opportunities.

“Teams are adapting to us. They defend deeper, close the spaces, and make it harder for Erling to find those moments. It’s our job to find new solutions,” Guardiola added.

City’s struggles extend beyond Haaland, with the entire squad appearing out of sync. Injuries to key players, combined with a congested fixture list, have stretched Guardiola’s resources and disrupted the fluidity that has become synonymous with his tenure.

Haaland, for his part, has maintained a positive attitude. In a post-match interview, the 23-year-old said, “Of course, I want to score in every game, but this is football. Sometimes it doesn’t happen. The important thing is to keep working hard and helping the team in any way I can.”

While the criticism mounts, Guardiola’s faith in Haaland and his team remains steadfast. He expressed confidence that City will regain their form and that Haaland will be back to his best sooner rather than later.

“We’ve been through tough periods before, and we’ve always come back stronger. This is no different,” Guardiola concluded.

As Manchester City continues to navigate their way through this challenging spell, all eyes will remain on Haaland and his ability to reignite the spark that made him one of the most feared forwards in world football. For now, Guardiola’s message is clear: this is a team issue, not an individual one.