Erling Haaland has, once again, come under fire for his role in Manchester City which many have reduced to just goalscoring with former Tottenham Hotspur striker Raphael Van Der Vaart being the latest to air his opinion.
Since moving to Manchester City, Haaland has become even more lethal in front of goal. The former RB Salzburg striker broke the Premier League goalscoring record in his first season and led the team to a European treble which included their first-ever UEFA Champions League win.
The next season, he was at his goalscoring best once again, which also saw him put every other attacker or goalscorer in the whole Europe on their toes. Things have slowed down this season which is largely due to Manchester City’s overall form and the striker has been singled out by many in the media.
“Normally, City has the ball and he’s scored a lot of goals, but I miss something to talk about a world, world, world-class striker.
“When you compare him in the past to (Marco) Van Basten or (Ruud) Van Nistelrooy – no, no, no, no. I don’t think so. People will laugh but that is my opinion.”
Meanwhile, Pep Guardiola has defended his choice not to select Kevin De Bruyne as a consistent starter. “I’d love to have Kevin in his prime – 26 or 27,” Guardiola said. “He would love it too. But he is not 26 or 27 anymore. He had injuries in the past, important and long ones.
“He is a guy who needs to be physically fit for his space and energy. He played in 10 or 11 seasons a lot of games. I know he is desperate to help us, he gives glimpses of brilliance that only he can have.
“But I always said, he himself will not solve our problems. Like Erling [Haaland] won’t solve it himself. We attack and defend together. We want the best players back.
“Hopefully, step by step the confidence will come back and we’ll get the best of all of us.”
“People say I’ve got a problem with Kevin,” Guardiola said, defending his decision not to bring the playmaker on earlier in the damaging 2-0 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday.
“Do you think I like to not play with Kevin? I don’t want Kevin to play? The guy who has the most talent in the final third. I don’t want it? I have a personal problem with him after nine years together?
“He’s delivered to me the biggest success to this club. But he’s been five months injured and two months injured. He’s 33 years old.
“He needs time to find his best. Like last season, step by step. He’ll try to do it and feel better. I’m desperate to have his best.”
