Man City: Pep Guardiola faces big call over 'resting' Erling Haaland after Leeds blank | OneFootball

City have a conundrum on their hands when it comes to their star striker

Pep Guardiola doesn’t know “if it’s good to rest” Erling Haaland after a quiet display by the Manchester City frontman during Saturday’s 3-2 win over Leeds at the Etihad.

When asked about Haaland’s unusually subdued performance, which saw the 25-year-old register just a single shot on goal a few minutes from the end of regulation, Guardiola sent a warning to upcoming opponents Fulham by insisting his centre forward will surpass the Premier League’s all-time leading scorer Alan Shearer as the quickest player to hit a century in the top flight the “next time” he steps on the pitch.

The City boss also pointed to Haaland’s lack of service, on a day where the majority of the team’s chances fell at the feet of an electric Foden, before suggesting that he’s unsure exactly how to help him past his current blip.

“That is our problem - a striker needs the balls delivered, Erling needed the balls to be delivered,” Guardiola noted, before adding: Erling sometimes has to rest because he plays a lot of minutes, but sometimes with his body I don’t know if it’s good to rest.

He continued: “Sometimes it is better to play, play, play and after 60 minutes maybe you are tired and go out. I don’t know when his body stops. With Phil [Foden], Jeremy [Doku], Bernardo [Silva], when they stop rest is good because they come back immediately.

Adding that Haaland is a “big, big man” who sometimes requires more time to get his “rhythm” back after a midweek rest, Guardiola then appeared to suggest that perhaps the likes of Omar Marmoush - who deputised when City’s usual No9 was injured last season, but has largely been a substitute this term - would be called upon to lead the line in the near future as the winter fixture schedule condenses.

Guardiola’s post-match chat with Haaland appeared to end on good terms

Getty Images

“I need to talk to [Haaland] because maybe we need everyone to be involved,” he said.

City, who rose to second in the Premier League table pending results elsewhere this weekend, travel to Craven Cottage on Tuesday before hosting high-flying Sunderland next Saturday.

They then take on Real Madrid at the Bernabeu the following Wednesday, with the midweek after that presenting a Carabao Cup quarter-final clash with Brentford sandwiched between league games away to Crystal Palace and at home to West Ham before getting a week off over Christmas.