Pep Warns Man City against Overreliance on Haaland’s Scoring Power

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has cautioned that his side are becoming too dependent on Erling Haaland’s goal-scoring brilliance after the Norwegian striker netted twice in a 2-0 win over Everton on Saturday.

Haaland’s brace lifted City to the top of the Premier League table, albeit temporarily before Arsenal’s later fixture. His remarkable record now stands at 23 goals in just 13 appearances for club and country this season, a testament to his consistency and precision in front of goal.

Why Is Guardiola Concerned About Haaland’s Dominance?

Despite the victory, Guardiola expressed unease about the team’s heavy reliance on their number nine. “Really pleased but we cannot rely on just him, we need other players,” said Guardiola. “Wingers, attacking midfielders. They have to make a step-up and score goals.”

So far, Haaland has been directly responsible for 11 of City’s 17 league goals. Guardiola urged his attackers to share the responsibility: “We play to provide Erling with quality and passing but other players have to step up. The chances were clear and they have to score.”

He pointed to missed opportunities from Savinho, Jeremy Doku, and Tijjani Reijnders, insisting that “at this level they have to demand themselves… they have to do it otherwise we can’t do what we want to do.”

Can City Maintain Their Momentum Without Haaland Carrying the Load?

After a shaky start to the season that saw two defeats in their opening three league games, City are unbeaten in eight matches across all competitions. Guardiola’s men now look strong again, with Haaland leading the charge.

“Erling lives for it,” Guardiola added. “Our delivery of passes has been better and Erling is our key man right now.”

By Yockshard Enyendi