Pep Guardiola makes candid admission on one-man army pressure on Erling Haaland | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola has honestly assessed the growing pressure on Erling Haaland to perform for Manchester City amid their over-reliance on the Norway international.

Haaland has been the be-all and end-all of Manchester City’s goals this season, having netted 15 times for the Blues in all competitions this term as Guardiola and co look to win a fifth Premier League title this season.

Questions have been asked of whether City’s over-reliance on Haaland is sustainable, with the 25-year-old having shouldered the entirety of the goalscoring responsibility at the Etihad Stadium since Julian Alvarez joined Atletico Madrid last summer.

Ahead of City’s Premier League game against Bournemouth on Sunday, Guardiola was asked whether sourcing goals from players other than Haaland is something he is actually working on and how long Haaland can carry that load.

“Well we have an alternative, like (against) Swansea – I would not let him play,” Guardiola said on Haaland. “And the other ones are going to score the goals because he’s not playing, this is the alternative you have to find.

“No definitely, we have to, the numbers of the people up front have to be better – they know it. We talked about that. At the end it’s numbers, but I think I have players to have the ability to score goals; Omar (Marmoush) has it, Rayan Cherki I think has this talent too, Phil (Foden) does it.

“And they’re playing good, but of course what defines the big, big teams, or the big players up front is the impact for assists and goals being provided.

“And that’s why I’m so optimistic being in that position, still there, in the Champions League we are in a better position than last season, and we have an incredible two chances against (Borussia) Dortmund and (Bayer) Leverkusen at home to be incredibly close to qualifying for the first-eight.

“I think even the results, yeah we are six points behind Arsenal who look unstoppable right now because they play fantastic, they don’t concede goals, and they are so solid, they can score from many different situations and positions, and many players.

“But even with that, I think when we make this step a little bit better, I think we will be closer, we will be closer, those games are tighter, we’ll be able to win.”

On Erling Haaland thriving on that responsibility, Guardiola added: “I think he’s not tired of scoring goals. Yeah maybe when you play a lot of games, maybe then (he will be tired). But Swansea he didn’t play, he’s fresh.

“When he will be tired, he will tell me. Before maybe in the beginning we could not do it, Omar (Marmoush) was injured, but I can play with a false-nine with Rayan Cherki, for example. I think in that position Rayan suits perfectly.

“So like I said, when we have all the team, we can play in different shapes, different ways to play. Sometimes it depends on the opponent.”

Haaland was rested in midweek against Swansea City and the 25-year-old striker is set to lead the line for Manchester City against Bournemouth on Sunday.