Pep Guardiola is convinced Erling Haaland is saving his goals for Manchester City‘s big finals after a relative lean spell for the new Footballer of the Year.
Only one of Haaland’s 52 goals has been scored in the six games he’s played since May 3 – no means disastrous but surprising given the Norwegian had previously hit 51 in 45.
Rather than be concerned about his striker, Guardiola thinks the mini-dry run could be bad news for Manchester United in next Saturday’s FA Cup final and the Champions League showdown with Inter Milan the following weekend.
‘I am not going to doubt the scoring machine Erling,’ insisted the City boss.
‘Maybe he’s waiting for the right moment. He is ready to score.
Erling Haaland has scored one goal in six games in a relative dry spell in his prolific season
Man City boss Pep Guardiola claimed Haaland could be saving his goals for upcoming finals
‘He doesn’t feel pressure. When he hears disrespect, he laughs.
‘He missed a clear chance in his first game in the Community Shield with Liverpool. There were memes and people talked about it.
‘I didn’t know him well then so I stayed closed to him. He just said to me: “Don’t worry. I’ll score goals!”
‘He is this type of guy. Incredible self-confidence. He will not lose it.’
Harland hasn’t scored in three, equalling his longest ‘drought’ in a City shirt and Guardiola could give him time at Brentford on Sunday though he admits it’s natural the players are looking beyond this afternoon’s league finale to Wembley and beyond.
‘Phil Foden would normally play with pain and injuries, always say he’s fine. You’d have to break his leg to keep him out,’ reveals Guardiola.
‘Then at half-time in the last game he says: “I have a pain in my leg”.
‘They are thinking about United, Inter Milan because the Premier League is already in our pocket.’
Champions Man City will complete their Premier League campaign against Brentford
For his part, Guardiola won’t talk publicly about a Treble until the FA Cup is standing with the Premier League in City’s trophy cabinet.
But even Sunday’s relatively meaningless League game will occupy the celebrated boss because of his fear of failure.
‘As a manager always, I’m scared to lose – I’m afraid,’ he confesses.
‘I have to be calm and give my calmness to the players. That is why our consistency has been good so I must focus on Brentford.’
Guardiola’s last FA Cup triumph in 2019 came towards the end of the Kompany/Aguero/David Silva era but the Catalan is keen to share the praise for City’s rebuild with those who run the club.
‘Sergio goes and then Gabriel Jesus and now we have Erling. It belongs to the club, not to me,’ he adds.
‘If the club doesn’t bring me Erling Haaland, we can not do it.
‘We can’t underestimate the hierarchy. They have put us in a strong position. They have made wise decisions for 12, 14 years.
‘There isn’t a magic solution so every decision you make is perfect. Just have the courage to do it and try to have more positive outcomes than negative.’
