Erling Haaland: Pep Guardiola admits Man Metropolis should get striker extra concerned after Outdated Trafford defeat | Soccer Information

Pep Guardiola has admitted Manchester Metropolis should discover a approach to get Erling Haaland extra concerned of their play.

The Norway striker was a peripheral determine in Saturday’s 2-1 Premier League derby defeat to Manchester United, having solely a few half-chances and simply 19 touches within the match.

Haaland has now gone three video games with out a aim – hardly a disaster, notably as he was solely a second-half substitute at Southampton, however a dip by the requirements of a participant who had 27 in his first 21 outings.

However extra noticeable has been the affect Haaland has had on Metropolis’s system after they grew to become so accustomed to – and so profitable at – working with a false 9 previously two seasons.

Former Metropolis midfielder Didi Hamann used social media on Saturday to assert Metropolis “have been a greater group with out Haaland, even when he scores 40 objectives this season”.

Guardiola is unlikely to agree with that however he’s nonetheless working to totally combine his £51m summer time signing.

“In the mean time we’ve that course of as a result of when groups are sat of their 18-yard field, it’s harder however we’ve to search out him a bit bit extra, sure,” Guardiola stated.

“(In opposition to United) he had sufficient touches however it’s true that when you’re areas and it’s important to have a look at him. However we are going to do it.”

Does Haaland have to do extra?

Sky Sports activities’ Gary Neville:

“With Metropolis, is Erling Haaland not getting the service, or does he have to do extra?

“I am going to ask that query. Does he have to do extra, or does he have to be affected person?

“If Erling Haaland begins to kick on, if Metropolis begins to purr, if the defence begins to shore up a bit greater than it has achieved, and so they want Ruben Dias again if they’ll, I feel Metropolis will win it.”

Pep: Performances have been constant

Metropolis have struggled for consistency this season, notably for the reason that World Cup, drawing at dwelling to Everton on New Yr’s Day and now struggling back-to-back defeats towards Southampton within the Carabao Cup and Man Utd within the league.

However Guardiola stated such inconsistencies weren’t all the way down to the change in system that Haaland’s arrival has enforced.

“I’d say the inconsistency was by way of outcomes however not performances,” he stated. “Normally, (however) not towards Southampton, we have been constant in our video games.

“In fact, towards Everton we performed higher, however they’d one shot heading in the right direction and we drew. They punished you when earlier than it did not occur, we all the time discovered a approach to get the outcomes.

“If we play good or dangerous, we all the time had that likelihood. I feel that is our energy and we’ve to enhance however by way of efficiency, I feel we’re constant.”

Metropolis took the lead at Outdated Trafford however crumbled after Bruno Fernandes’ controversial equaliser, permitting Marcus Rashford to attain what proved to be the winner solely 4 minutes later.

However regardless of disappointment on the end result and frustration with the choice to permit the Fernandes aim to face, Guardiola was a lot happier with the efficiency.

“We have been there on a regular basis, I may recognise my group,” he stated. “That’s all I can say. At Southampton…what is that this? What is that this group? However this was the other. I recognise my group from many, a few years.”

What’s gone fallacious for Manchester Metropolis?

Sky Sports activities’ Peter Smith:

Pep Guardiola was insistent that he was happy with Man Metropolis’s show at Outdated Trafford and that it was a giant enchancment on the midweek defeat at Southampton within the Carabao Cup, which had left him feeling ‘unhappy’.

However this was removed from a sophisticated efficiency. Metropolis appeared jittery early on with a string of gamers misplacing passes and Ederson erratically dashing off his line handy Rashford likelihood.

Relatively than a scarcity of focus, which Guardiola had criticised towards Southampton, this felt extra like Metropolis nervously looking for one thing towards a well-drilled Man Utd aspect amid a raucous environment.

Primarily they weren’t capable of get Phil Foden or Erling Haaland the ball. The 2 hat-trick heroes of Metropolis’s 6-3 drubbing of United in October have been on the periphery all through. Haaland has now gone three video games with out a aim. A barren run by his requirements, whereas Foden is way from his incisive greatest proper now.

Defensively, Guardiola admitted his group weren’t all the time in the correct place to cease United’s transitions, a serious downside towards a group so robust in that division.

They’re causes for concern with Tottenham coming to the Etihad on Thursday. One other group which is able to attempt to restrict passes into Metropolis’s attackers earlier than pouncing on the break.

Guardiola has stated he would not need his gamers to dwell on Saturday’s recreation however he must discover a resolution to the rising points at Metropolis between now and that Spurs match. If a foul week turns into a foul 10 days, Metropolis can be in peril of slipping even additional away from the place they need to be…