Guardiola reveals Man City star has been ‘suffering’ in recent weeks | OneFootball

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has admitted that star striker Erling Haaland “suffers when he does not score goals”.

The Norwegian has not scored from open play in his last eight Premier League games.

“He’s calm but he puts pressure on himself,” Guardiola said. “He knows how much we need him and he doesn’t want to leave the team disappointed.

“That is a big attribute, I prefer that than ‘I don’t care’ – he’s completely the opposite.

“He’s suffering when he doesn’t score a goal.”

Haaland stepped up to convert an injury-time penalty for City against Liverpool on Sunday. It secured all three points for the Blues who had been trailing in the match and revived their title aspirations.

“I know it’s not easy,” said Guardiola. “Anfield 91, 92 minutes, and the situation that we have, taking that and with this composure.

“His body language, his eyes, there was fire there.

“Yeah, it’s not easy. That defines the good players.

“Hopefully it can lift him. The situation is he admits that he’s tired, a little bit down. It’s just one reason – it’s the calendar. No more than that.”

After netting 19 times in the first 17 games of the season, Haaland has scored just two in his last eight.

City’s boss continued: “Erling, we cannot forget, he’s not 29, 30 years old, he’s young. It’s part of the process.

“Every season he lives, he’s a better player for the next one. How he knows his body better, how he knows what it means to play everywhere or four days.

“The last games, maybe he doesn’t have the numbers that he wants, but we are in the position that we are thanks to him.

“For three quarters of the season, if Erling didn’t score, I didn’t know who’s going to score.

“We are in a position in the Champions League, and especially in the Premier League that without Erling would not be possible.”

Despite his recent goal drought, the Norwegian is still the Premier League’s leading goalscorer. Guardiola maintained: “The problem with Erling is that he has to deal with his own numbers, with his expectations.

“It’s not easy to do that for many, many years. That is a challenge for him.”

With City still fighting for success in all four competitions, Haaland will hope to recapture his form from earlier in the season.

His boss advised: “He takes a lot of responsibility in himself, he wants to help all the time. He wants desperately to help the team and the club.

“Don’t put too much pressure. Go there and rely on your instinct, rely on your movement, anticipate the actions.

“Your instinct and your gut are better than anyone in the world.”