Guardiola is sympathetic, but will he be able to get Haaland out of his rut?
Guardiola is sympathetic, but will he be able to get Haaland out of his rut?
Erling Haaland failed to score on Saturday despite having 11 Premier League goals against West Ham.
Playing in "the most difficult position in the earth" is the reason behind Erling Haaland's difficulties in front of goal, according to Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.
Haaland is in a strong position to win the Premier League Golden Boot a third time after winning it twice and scoring 19 goals in the first 17 league games of this season.
The Norway striker is still in the lead, but he has struggled in the second half of the season, scoring just three goals in 12 league appearances in 2026.
In the context of the title chase, Saturday's 1-1 draw against West Ham was another blank.
Guardiola claims that because Haaland is one of the most notable individuals in the competition, he scores fewer goals.Guardiola stated at London Stadium, "I did not notice weariness in the last 20 minutes; it was a difficulty with tempo and rhythm."How many center defenders were present around him today, do you know? 200 million. How many holding midfielders are there? It is the hardest job on the earth.
With eight games remaining, the outcome against West Ham puts City nine points behind leaders Arsenal.
Haaland's decline has also been linked to Guardiola's team's exhaustion from playing in four competitions and City's tactical adjustment (they have played with two strikers in nine of the last eleven games).
Haaland has only missed one league game this season and has already participated in 41 club games.
In order to further suppress Haaland in the second half, West Ham shifted to a three-man center defense versus City and added defensive midfielder Soungoutou Magassa.
Haaland has had 36 shots in his last 12 league games, but his conversion percentage is only 8%.
Guardiola faces an even greater challenge on Tuesday as City looks to overcome a 3-0 deficit against Real Madrid in their Champions League last-16 second leg: figuring out his team's most productive configuration.
Against West Ham, City used a 4-3-1-2 lineup, with Antoine Semenyo starting as number ten and Haaland attacking alongside Omar Marmoush.
City changed to a 4-3-3 for the second half since it did not work for any of the players, especially Haaland, who was crowded out.
Guardiola claims that all of City's players are prepared and that they would give it their all against Madrid at Etihad Stadium despite their tactical problems.Regarding their European assignment, he stated, "If they do not believe, it is a problem." "Go home if you do not have faith while playing in the Champions League. What is there to lose?The outcome [of the first leg] was difficult. In consideration of the supporters, we will not stand by and watch what transpires; instead, we will make an effort to advance. Our squad needs to score two, three, or four points.If not, however, we still have the FA Cup and the Premier League, and we shall return the next season.
