Erling Haaland has been regarded as the invincible symbol of Man City's attack for the past two seasons. His coolness under pressure and relentless ability to score goals have made the Norwegian striker a nightmare for defenses in Europe. However, now, the 24-year-old's nervous expressions and lack of confidence reflect a deep part of the difficulties that The Citizens are facing.
In the recent 1-1 draw with Everton, Haaland had a golden opportunity to help his team take the lead when standing at the penalty spot in the 53rd minute. However, his shot was not sharp enough and Jordan Pickford easily saved it.
This is not the first time the striker born in 2000 has missed a chance from the 11m mark, but at a time when Man City is struggling with a series of declining matches, each mistake becomes a deep cut into the already fragile confidence. Not long after, Haaland put the ball in the opponent's net but the goal was disallowed for offside.
Once considered an unstoppable goal machine, Erling Haaland now seems to be weighed down by the burden of responsibility and team instability. He has scored just one goal in his last seven Premier League games, an alarming statistic compared to his previous average of 81 minutes per goal. Now that ratio has dropped to 270 minutes per goal, reflecting the struggles the Norwegian striker is experiencing.
Signs of a lack of confidence were more evident in Haaland’s other performances. Several headers that he would have easily converted into goals in the past were now just efforts. There is no denying that Man City are heavily reliant on Haaland to score goals. As the 24-year-old striker has lost form, the Etihad team’s problems in attack have become more evident.
Phil Foden has shown some positive signs as he gradually regains his form, but he cannot make up for the ineffectiveness of his teammates. Meanwhile, despite possessing speed and skill, Jeremy Doku often fails to provide a sharp enough final touch. In addition, new signing Savinho has not shown a good enough integration as he is still timid and indecisive, causing dangerous opportunities to pass by.
The draw against Everton has caused Man City to extend their winless streak in the Premier League to 4. Unexpectedly, from the team that dominated English football with 6 championships in the last 7 seasons, Man City has now only earned 5/27 maximum points from the last 9 matches (the worst performance in the league).
Part of the reason for the decline of The Citizens comes from the constant injuries in the squad. In the match against Everton, Pep Guardiola was missing up to 8 key players, forcing him to field options that were not really guaranteed physical strength such as Nathan Ake. On the bench, the Spanish coach had to use up to 5 players from the academy and James McAtee, who also did not play regularly.
However, Man City's problem is not just personnel. A loss of confidence, lack of cohesion and a widespread decline in form are pushing the Manchester team into a difficult situation.
“We have to get back on our feet quickly. Life is not easy and neither is sport. The team still has time and opportunity to turn things around,” said Pep Guardiola.
