Man City – Everton: When Haaland becomes the 'lifeblood' of Man City

18/10/2025 07:58:00 GoalGuru

Man City is undergoing further transformation under Pep Guardiola, and this time the Etihad club depends on Erling Haaland to vie for the championship.

There was a defining moment that could symbolize the changes in Man City and Pep Guardiola this season, during their 1-1 draw with Arsenal on September 21.

Man City is ready to defend

In the second half of the match, with Man City under intense pressure from Arsenal, Erling Haaland was surprisingly given a new role. He was pulled back to play as a center-back, tightly marking Viktor Gyökeres, prepared to stop attacks.

Arsenal passed the ball around the penalty area, while Haaland checked his shoulder, holding the defense alongside Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol—resembling a peak-era Tony Adams. Later, Arsenal scored a late goal, and Haaland was substituted off in the 76th minute. Still, this moment demonstrated the new look of Man City. Pep Guardiola’s team is willing to adapt and do whatever it takes to earn three points.

In the second half of that game, Man City mostly fell back into a crowded defensive formation in front of their penalty box—a scenario rarely seen over the past 20 years against Guardiola’s teams—now it became the image of his own squad.

Guardiola has built his career on always being one step ahead of his era. But with a slew of new players and a squad that missed a proper preseason due to the FIFA Club World Cup, Man City now shows a completely unfamiliar style.

However, that is only part of Pep Guardiola’s change. The other part is Erling Haaland. To fully utilize Haaland’s scoring ability, Pep has adjusted the tactics toward a more direct style of play.

Erling Haaland is the driving force of Man City at this moment

Haaland is the leader

Last month, the Premier League’s official site released statistics showing that Man City reduced their average passes per attacking sequence from 5.12 last season to 3.97 this season, while increasing the direct forward ball movement speed from 1.43 meters per second (m/s) to 1.61 m/s. Much of this is influenced by their more direct approach in the match against Arsenal.

Pep understands that Man City can no longer break down defenses the way they used to. For many years, City relied on creative players and exceptional talents like Kevin De Bruyne to create chances. But now, they have to shift their focus.

Man City no longer depends heavily on building play from the back as before. Instead, they use direct passes to deliver the ball to Haaland, exploiting his off-the-ball movement and superior physicality. Haaland’s goal against Brentford on October 5 is a prime example. The Norwegian striker received a long pass from a teammate, then weaved past two defenders to score.

Even without De Bruyne, Haaland remains a formidable threat. He has scored 9 goals in 7 Premier League appearances and 3 goals in 2 Champions League matches this season. Haaland has found the net consistently in his last 5 Premier League games.

Not only does Haaland top the Premier League scoring charts, but he also propels Man City forward. After a fluctuating start, the Etihad club now sits 5th, just 3 points behind league leaders Arsenal.

Previously, when mentioning Man City’s top star, people referred to De Bruyne and then Rodri, but now it is Haaland. The Norwegian striker’s form will determine Man City’s success this season.

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