Pep Guardiola insists Erling Haaland has no problem shouldering the burden of being Manchester City’s primary source of goals but has demanded his team-mates start doing more to help him out.
Haaland has scored 11 of City’s 17 Premier League goals this season, with Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Cherki, Phil Foden and Matheus Nunes the only other City players to have found the net in the league this term.
Haaland seems to have revelled in the spotlight, and Sunday’s 1-0 loss to Aston Villa was only the second game this season in which the Norwegian has failed to find the net for either club or country.
“I don’t think Erling is tired of scoring goals,” Guardiola said with a smile ahead of Sunday’s home match against high-flying Bournemouth.
But nevertheless the City boss is trying to find fresh sources of goals now that both Omar Marmoush and Cherki are back from injury – both scoring in the 3-1 midweek Carabao Cup win at Swansea.
That was Marmoush’s first goal of the season after a knee injury cost him a month, while Cherki, who found the net in the opening 4-0 win over Wolves back in August, missed almost two months with a thigh injury.
That denied City one of their more intriguing summer signings as Cherki’s versatility gives Guardiola a number of different options – including the possibility of the Frenchman playing as a false nine.
“The numbers of the people up front have to be better,” Guardiola said. “They know it, we talk about it. We have players with the ability to score goals. Omar has it, I think Rayan Cherki has the talent. Phil does it.
“They’re playing good but what defines the big teams, the big players up front, is the impact for the assists and goals…I can play with a false nine, with Cherki for example. I think Rayan fits that perfectly. When we have the whole team we can play in different shapes.”
Sunday’s visit of the Cherries is the start of a big week for City at the Etihad, with Borussia Dortmund following in Wednesday’s Champions League clash and champions Liverpool then due in east Manchester on Sunday.
“I’m so optimistic,” Guardiola added. “We’re in a better position in the Champions League than last season. We have an incredible chance with Dortmund and Leverkusen (the next two home games in the competition) to qualify for the last eight.
“We are six points behind Arsenal (at the start of the weekend), who look unstoppable right now because they play fantastic, don’t concede and can score from many different positions. Even with that, when we make this next step we will be closer. When games are tighter, we’ll be able to win.”
