Pep Guardiola Defends Haaland Amid Criticism of His Leadership
The Manchester City coach, Spanish manager Pep Guardiola, downplayed the responsibility of Norwegian forward Erling Haaland in the team's recent slump. According to Guardiola, the current situation of the reigning Premier League champions is due to the "team as a whole" and not just one player.
"It's a situation affecting the entire team, not a specific player. Before, when we were scoring so many goals and Erling Haaland was so prolific, it was also thanks to the team's work," Guardiola said in a press conference ahead of Thursday’s match against Everton on traditional Boxing Day.
A Struggling Manchester City
Manchester City has only won once in their last twelve matches, suffering nine losses and falling out of the European spots. Currently, the team sits in 7th place, 12 points behind leaders Liverpool, who still have a game in hand.
Guardiola was clear in pointing out that the team's problems aren't solely down to Haaland. "When you're struggling defensively and in midfield, it affects the whole team, not just one player. If the issue were individual, we'd have spotted it quickly. Erling is crucial for us, and we need to make better use of his talent," the coach stated.
Confidence in Overcoming the Crisis
The coach defended his players' commitment and acknowledged that this is a new challenge for everyone in the team. "This situation is new to us. It’s about the group, about everyone. The boys are running and working harder than ever," Guardiola emphasized.
Regarding the criticism, Guardiola insisted: "People say we don’t run or fight, that it’s down to this player or the coach, but that’s not the case. We’re working as a team to turn this around."
Erling Haaland, in his third season with Manchester City, has been a key figure in attack, though the current crisis has affected his form. The striker has only scored two goals in his last eight Premier League games.
Manchester City will kick off the 18th round of the Premier League this Thursday at 7:30 a.m. ET, facing Everton in a crucial match to try to close the gap with leaders Liverpool.
