Pep Guardiola explains why he never criticizes Erling Haaland despite missing good opportunities.
During the press conference after the Premier League compensation match between Man City and Brentford, coach Pep Guardiola gave the reason why he did not want to criticize Haaland despite the striker’s performances below expectations.
“When I was playing, an old friend told me not to criticize goalscorers because they would stay silent and respond to it.”
In fact, Haaland silenced his critics after a forgettable performance against Chelsea at the weekend by scoring the only goal in the compensation match against Brentford.
Besides, Guardiola mentioned that Haaland is facing the loss of his family when his grandmother passed away. The Man City captain added: “Sooner or later he will return. Haaland had to sit out for two months due to injury and just lost his grandmother, which is not easy for a player. If I I have to choose a player to trust, I will still choose Haaland.”
The defending champion, with this important victory, rose to second place in the Premier League and is currently only one point behind top team Liverpool. Jurgen Klopp’s side can extend their lead when they face Luton at home in an early midweek kick-off but Man City will continue to chase them when they face Bournemouth at the weekend.
As for Haaland personally, the Norwegian striker still had impressive performances after returning. However, compared to last season, the striker born in 2000 has slowed down somewhat due to injury and actual performance. However, that does not prevent Man City’s current team from becoming stronger.