Pep Guardiola has responded to claims that all is not well between Erling Haaland and the Manchester City boss with a strong statement about the Norwegian goal machine.
The reigning champions moved back to the top of the table this week after a 3-1 win at Arsenal, who had held top spot all season long. But despite City’s climb back to the summit, there has been a backdrop of murmurings that all is not well behind the scenes.
The main cause of disruption comes around claims about superstar striker Haaland. Signed in a bargain £51.2m fee over the summer, the 22-year-old Leeds born star has hit the ground running at City. Indeed, he already has 32 goals to his name from 29 games and is well on course to shatter a number of goalscoring records.
Here, our sister site Football365 takes a look at Haaland’s incredible stats.
Indeed, he is already nine goals clear of Harry Kane in the race to win the Golden Boot. The best tally in a Premier League season currently stands at 34 goals scored by Andy Cole and Alan Shearer. Haaland is currently on 26 from 22 appearances.
And he is just six short from equalling the best-ever total scored by one player in a single season for City. That record of 38 was set by Tommy Johnson way back in 1928/29.
Despite that, all appears far from well behind the scenes – and there are some observers who feel that Haaland actually cramps City’s style. When they get it right, City and Haaland appear an unstoppable force. But there have been games where Haaland and Co have been snuffed out.
‘Haaland not at the right club’
.png)
And having operated, in the main, without a No 9 for a couple of seasons prior to his signing, critics feel City have not been at their fluent best this season.
Anticipating such problems, reports suggest Guardiola ‘never wanted’ to sign Haaland in the first place. And in the wake earlier this month that their relationship was starting to crack, it’s been suggested Haaland is ready to ‘divorce’ City and move on elsewhere after just one season.
To further add to the speculation, Jamie Carragher suggested Haaland ‘may have chosen the wrong club’ this summer.
Speaking after their recent defeat at Tottenham, the pundit told Sky Sports: “He was very frustrated. And I’ve felt this even when he was scoring all his goals at the start of the season. He’s obviously still well ahead in the top goalscoring ranks. But I think we’ve only seen 60 per cent of Erling Haaland.
“You think of that goal he scored at West Ham on the first game of the season, where there’s space in behind, he makes that run. Now I know that’s not there that often because of the way City play. But he’s come from a league and Borussia Dortmund where it’s a counter-attacking league and it’s end to end. You see that blistering pace that he’s got. We don’t see it [now].
“And… he may have actually picked the wrong club, to actually get the best out of him.
“You’re laughing, but what I’m saying is, we’re not seeing everything of Erling Haaland. And Manchester City now, not because of Erling Haaland, we can say they’re a different team. But they’ve scored exactly the same amount of goals.”
Guardiola sets Carragher straight over Haaland claims
Carragher continued: “He’s scored 25 league goals, but Manchester City as a team have scored the same amount of goals. But they’ve conceded more and it’s far easier to counter attack them as well.”
However, speaking ahead of Saturday’s match at Nottingham Forest, Guardiola has moved to deny claims that all is not well with Haaland.
And, in a direct response to Carragher’s claims, Guardiola insists everyone at City is thrilled to have Haaland.
“All opinions are more than welcome and if Jamie Carragher says that. But we are delighted to have him and we are delighted he chose us,” the City boss said.
“At the end he had all the world in his hands to choose where he was going to play. He could have stayed in Dortmund or to go to Madrid or Barcelona or other teams in England. But he chose us and that is why we are more than happy.”
Guardiola’s comments, though, are unlikely to immediately shut down rumours that Haaland could leave City this summer.
However, do not be surprised if Haaland and Guardiola make a big issue of things should the striker score at the City Ground on Saturday.
Source: teamtalk.com
