Pep Guardiola: 'Man City must not rely solely on Haaland'

Following Manchester City's 2-0 win against Everton, Pep Guardiola delivered a clear message to his squad: he expects more players to score instead of relying just on Erling Haaland.

The 2-0 win over Everton helped Manchester City maintain their consistent form in the Premier League title race. Erling Haaland's two second-half goals not only secured all three points for the team but also raised the Norwegian striker's tally to 11 goals this season – surpassing more than half of the teams in the league in terms of goals scored.

However, in the post-match interview, coach Pep Guardiola was not entirely satisfied despite the victory. He candidly told BBC Match of the Day: “It's frustrating that he didn’t score four or five goals. Just kidding, I’m very happy, but we can’t depend only on Haaland. Other players – wingers, attacking midfielders – also need to push forward and score. At this level, they must demand more from themselves.”

Guardiola emphasized that for Man City to continue competing for titles, the entire team must share the responsibility of scoring. “We play to create chances for Haaland, but players like Savinho, Jeremy Doku, and Reijnders must also take advantage of opportunities. Clear chances must be converted; otherwise, we won’t reach our goals.”

At the start of the match, City began somewhat sluggishly. Pep admitted the first half was “typical after an international break” with players lacking rhythm and poor ball control. “Everton and David Moyes are doing an incredible job. They use long balls and have a very experienced defense. We lost possession twice and had to work hard to regain control. Once we broke free, we started playing better.”

The Spanish coach also praised Haaland, who has shown impressive goal-scoring form since the start of the season. “Erling lives for goals. He is the focal point of our attacking system. As our passing improves, Erling becomes an indispensable spearhead.”

Guardiola expressed satisfaction with the team’s response in the second half and praised their collective mindset: “Every player understands they must be ready. Oscar Bobb, Bernardo Silva, and Rayan Cherki only played a few minutes but all contributed positively. We need everyone because the season is long. Since the international break, the team has gradually stabilized.”

With this win, Manchester City temporarily return to the top of the table and prepare for a busy schedule, including the Champions League. While remaining calm, Guardiola clearly wants more from his players, especially in finishing.

When asked about upcoming goals, Pep smiled: “We are on the right track. The key is to keep this form going so that one win leads to another. We need everyone,not just Haaland.”

Related articles

Barcelona suffers a heavy blow in the El Clasico After being sent off in the final minutes of Barcelona’s 2-1 win over Girona, coach Hansi Flick has been officially suspended and will miss the El Clasico against Real Madrid at Santiago Bernabeu. See more