Erling Haaland, the prolific striker for Manchester City, expressed the squad’s ongoing faith in manager Pep Guardiola following the team’s recent struggles that continued with a loss at Aston Villa. The reigning Premier League champions faced a disheartening defeat, which marked their ninth loss in the last twelve matches across all competitions, ultimately leaving them with a 2-1 scoreline against Villa on Saturday.
Aston Villa’s scoring duo, Jhon Duran and Morgan Rogers, inflicted additional agony upon the visitors, while Phil Foden’s late goal served only as a consolation for Manchester City. This defeat pushed City down to sixth place in the league standings, with Villa surpassing them in the table. Haaland commented on the team’s disappointing performance, stating to TNT Sports, “Of course we are disappointed; it’s not good enough. It’s not good enough from me.”
Haaland acknowledged the quality of the opponents, emphasizing that while Aston Villa is a competent team, Manchester City, with its rich history and talent, should be performing at a higher level. The forward stressed the importance of perseverance, saying, “We have to continue, we have to believe and we have to keep working hard.” He pointedly shared that self-reflection was key for personal improvement, admitting, “First I’m looking at myself; I haven’t been doing things good enough, I haven’t been scoring my chances. I have to do better, I haven’t been good enough.”
The dismal run has now seen City go winless in their last eight away games, trailing nine points behind league leaders Liverpool, significantly having played two games more. The team’s downward trajectory raises concerns about their ability to regain the form that once characterized them as formidable contenders in both domestic and European competitions. Remarkably, even Haaland, a player known for his scoring prowess, has found himself struggling to make a meaningful impact on matches. In a perplexing twist, it was Rogers, a former City player, who outshone Haaland and his teammates during the match.
When pressed about the squad’s collective confidence, Haaland candidly remarked, “Of course, not the best.” He highlighted the pivotal role that confidence plays in sports, stating, “We know how important confidence is and you can see that it affects every human being.” Despite the difficult circumstances, he urged the team to maintain a positive outlook and to maintain their diligence in practice and matches to turn things around.
Haaland’s trust in Guardiola’s capabilities remains steadfast, even in the face of adversity. The players are aware of Guardiola’s past successes, having led the team to six Premier League titles in seven years. Haaland asserted, “He will find the solutions. He has been doing that every single year except one in the last seven years. We still believe in him, we have to work harder than ever right now.” This loyalty to their manager underscores the level of respect the players have for him and prioritizes teamwork to navigate through this challenging phase.
Immediately following the game, Haaland seemed somewhat reflective yet vague when discussing his post-match conversation with Guardiola. “It’s the small details; I don’t remember right now,” he offered, adding that processing the loss took precedence over recalling specifics. However, he did allude to the fact that Guardiola likely shared minor corrections to improve the team’s performance moving forward.
As Manchester City prepares for upcoming fixtures, they will face struggling Everton at home on Boxing Day, followed by an away match at Leicester City on December 29. The team remains hopeful that this change in schedule can spearhead a turnaround in their current form, reinvigorating their season and re-establishing their dominance in the Premier League. Through resilience and dedication, the squad aims to reclaim their stature as contenders and take advantage of the opportunities ahead.
