In the press conference before the match with Everton on the evening of December 26, coach Pep Guardiola shared about Man City's recent poor form:
“It's a team problem, not just one player. When the defense and midfield have problems, it affects the whole team. Erling Haaland is not at fault. If it were that simple, it would be easy to blame someone."
"Haaland has always been an important player for Man City. The team needs to regain his inherent creativity to help him become better," said the Spanish strategist.
The Norwegian striker has not been performing well and has been silent in recent matches. After losing to Aston Villa last weekend, Haaland also admitted responsibility: “I am still not good enough. I missed too many scoring opportunities. I need to step up and do better. I will do everything to improve the situation.”
Haaland has scored 108 goals in 122 games for Man City since joining the club in 2022. This season, the striker has scored 13 goals, 10 of which have come in his first five Premier League games.
However, when the team did not play well, Haaland also did not show the expected influence. He is currently 2 goals behind Mohamed Salah in the race for the Golden Boot this season.
Man City will host Everton at the Etihad Stadium on Boxing Day in the 18th round of the Premier League, taking place on the evening of December 26. Pep Guardiola's team needs a home win against Everton to compete for the top 4.
