Guardiola: 'My fault' Haaland's struggling

Stuart Telford

• Updated: 25 Feb 2023 12:57 GMT
• 3 min read

Erling Haaland's goals have slowed down at Manchester City, and Pep Guardiola has taken full responsibility for the striker's recent struggles.

Haaland hit the ground running following his €60 million arrival from Borussia Dortmund last summer, scoring 23 Premier League goals from just 17 games in the first half of the season.

But since the restart the Norwegian goal-machine has been creaking. He scored a hat-trick in a 3-0 win over Wolves in January, but has drawn a blank in five league outings around that.

READ: Haaland in danger of being WASTED by Man City - Carragher

City trail league leaders Arsenal by two points having played a game more, whereas last season they won the title without a recognised striker.

Guardiola has dismissed suggestions Haaland's start was just a statistical blip, taking full blame for his recent dip in form.

Guardiola: 'I'm responsible'

"Absolutely the coach [is responsible]," he said. "We share our faults together, its nicer. We cannot forget we play a lot, years, without a proper striker, Sergio [Aguero], Gabriel [Jesus], false nine. We don't pay more attention there, now with the one we need a little bit more.

"We need a lot of control, people don't want to take risks. If you put the ball inside with a lot of players is a risk pass. That's why it's my fault, absolutely.

"It's perspective, if we get the ball and he has seven players with him, I play the ball there [wide]. Now where's Erling? Six players [on him] - so I play the ball here [wide] instead. If he's alone I have to play with him."

READ: Major flaw in Haaland's game pointed out by Thierry Henry

Guardiola has had an uneasy relationship with strikers throughout his managerial career, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic slamming him after a tumultuous spell at Barcelona.

"When you buy me, you're buying a Ferrari," he said. "If you drive a Ferrari, you put premium petrol in the tank, you hit the motorway and you step on the gas.

"Guardiola filled up with diesel and took a spin in the countryside. He should have bought a Fiat."