Pep Guardiola admits being 'disappointed that Haaland scored so few goals'

Coach Pep Guardiola displayed both wit and firmness regarding Erling Haaland, following the Norwegian forward’s brace that secured a 2-0 win for Man City against Everton in the 11th round of the Premier League.

After a 2024-25 season plagued by injuries, Haaland is now demonstrating a strong comeback this year. Across both club and national team levels, the 25-year-old striker has netted over 20 goals, including 14 for Man City. In the Premier League alone, Haaland leads the Golden Boot race, five goals ahead of his nearest competitor Antoine Semenyo.

The match against Everton once again showcased Haaland’s lethal scoring instincts, as he scored two goals within five minutes in the second half, securing all three points for Man City and temporarily moving them up to second place in the standings. Earlier, during international fixtures, Haaland also scored a hat-trick to help Norway crush Israel 5-0 in World Cup qualifiers.

After the game, Pep Guardiola jokingly said: “I’m a bit disappointed he didn’t score 4 or 5 goals! Just kidding, I’m genuinely pleased, but the team can’t rely solely on Haaland. Other players, especially attacking midfielders and wingers, need to share the goal-scoring responsibilities.”

The Spanish manager emphasized that Man City must diversify their attacking options: “We play to create chances for Erling, but opportunities from Savinho, Jeremy Doku, or Tijjani Reijnders must be taken. Otherwise, we won’t achieve our goals. At this level, they must demand more from themselves.”

Guardiola also admitted the team’s first half performance was not ideal: “This is a typical game after an international break when players lose rhythm. Everton under David Moyes play very organized and challenge us with long balls. Things improved when we regained control.”

Over the next three weeks, Man City will play six matches across the Premier League and Champions League, starting with an away game at Villarreal next week, followed by matches against Aston Villa, Bournemouth, and Liverpool. Guardiola stated he will rotate the squad carefully to avoid fatigue, especially for Haaland.

Although Guardiola joked about Haaland, there is a clear warning beneath: Man City cannot depend on a single player’s performance, even if he is the world’s most fearsome goal machine. To fuel their championship ambitions, players like Phil Foden, Jeremy Doku, and Omar Marmoush must also start making their mark.