Pep Guardiola, the head coach of Manchester City, has made it clear to his players that the team must diversify their goal-scoring efforts rather than relying predominantly on their star forward, Erling Haaland.
Manchester City extended their unbeaten run to eight matches across all tournaments and climbed to the top of the Premier League standings, thanks to a double from Haaland in their recent victory over Everton.
Haaland’s extraordinary scoring spree this campaign is undeniable, having already scored 11 league goals in just eight games, putting him comfortably ahead in the Golden Boot race by a five-goal margin. However, this prolific tally sharply contrasts with the rest of the squad, as no other City player has come within 10 goals of his league total.
Guardiola Calls for Greater Goal Contributions from the Squad
Although Guardiola praised Haaland’s exceptional performances, he stressed the importance of other team members increasing their goal output to sustain the club’s winning streak.
“He could have scored four or five goals by the final whistle. There’s no doubt he’s our main attacking threat,” Guardiola commented.
“Still, we cannot depend exclusively on Erling. Our wide players, attacking midfielders, and other squad members must raise their level and contribute more goals.”
Guardiola also underscored the critical need to convert clear scoring chances, which he views as essential at this elite tier:
“We generate very straightforward opportunities. Players like Savinho, Jeremy, and Tijjani have all had several chances, and they must find the net. At this level, missing such clear-cut opportunities is unacceptable. If we fail to create chances, that’s one thing, but when we do, we have to finish.”
“They understand this well. We’ve talked about it extensively. Their finishing in training is solid; the challenge is replicating that in matches.”
“Having Erling is a tremendous asset, but to evolve into a truly dominant team, everyone must contribute goals. That’s the standard I demand from this squad.”