Guardiola Defends Haaland, Urges Team Improvement Amid Poor Form

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has dismissed the notion that the club’s recent struggles in the Premier League are due to the form of striker Erling Haaland, emphasizing the collective responsibility of the team. City’s dismal run, with only one win in their last eight league matches, has left the reigning champions in seventh place, 12 points behind leaders Liverpool.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday ahead of Thursday’s Boxing Day clash with Everton, Guardiola defended Haaland, who has scored just twice during this stretch, after an explosive start to the season with 10 goals in the first five games.

“It’s about us, it’s not just about one player,” Guardiola said. “When in the past we scored goals and Erling was so prolific, it’s because of the team. And when you have problems at the back, in the middle, it’s for everyone.

“If it was just one player, the reason why, it would be easy. It’s not about that. Erling is so important for us, has been, and will be. We try to do things better to use him better.”

Injury Concerns and a Chance to Rebuild

Guardiola acknowledged the team’s broader struggles, pointing to “many little details or big details” contributing to their dip in form. He remains optimistic about a turnaround and is focused on making improvements as players return from injuries.

City is still waiting on updates regarding John Stones, Matheus Nunes, and Ederson, all of whom are doubtful for the match against Everton.

“All the tendency to say we don’t run, we don’t fight… It’s many little details all together that make us not as good as we were,” Guardiola said. “But we have another opportunity on Boxing Day to try and win time for the players to come back, and in a certain time we’ll be better.”

Despite Everton’s 15th-place standing, Guardiola expects a challenging encounter. The Toffees boast a better defensive record than City, with five clean sheets in their last six games under Sean Dyche.

“Sean Dyche always has a really good defensive structure, really good patterns,” Guardiola noted. “And when they are able to do it against Arsenal and Chelsea, that means they are really good because they have good transitions and are really strong at set-pieces.”

City players will enjoy limited family time over Christmas, with training scheduled on Christmas Eve and Christmas night. Guardiola highlighted the sacrifices required, saying, “Hopefully they want to be here because it’s our job and our duty.”

As City prepares for the Boxing Day fixture, Guardiola remains confident that the champions can rediscover their form and return to the title race. For now, he urges the team to work together to overcome their challenges.