Erling Haaland

Pep Guardiola's men missed a golden opportunity to close the gap on Arsenal as they suffered a limp defeat to Spurs.

While Arsenal have, up to this weekend, been in Liverpool 2018-19 form, it is possible that the rigours of a race start to get to them. [financially stratified nature of modern football](/sport/football/chelsea-transfer-enzo-fernandez-premier-league-b2273249.html) means Premier League title races tend to go to the outer limits, with champions usually getting around 90 points or much more. [ decision to offload Joao Cancelo](/sport/football/joao-cancelo-man-city-pep-guardiola-b2275220.html). [response out of his team](/sport/football/joao-cancelo-guardiola-bayern-munich-b2273106.html). He didn’t have a shot, for the first time in the Premier League. While his meaning was often difficult to decipher, [the intention wasn’t](/sport/football/joao-cancelo-guardiola-bayern-munich-b2273106.html). He didn’t even have a touch on the box. [over them in that last match](/sport/football/manchester-city-tottenham-result-score-mahrez-b2265697.html). There is the effect of a half-decade of full throttle against Liverpool, which Jurgen Klopp’s side may be suffering from too. It is one of the worst returns from the same period out of all Guardiola’s seasons at City. There wasn’t much energy at all, which was pretty much like his [Manchester City](/topic/manchester-city) team [in their 1-0 defeat to Spurs](/sport/football/tottenham-man-city-result-score-harry-kane-b2276208.html). [Pep Guardiola](/topic/pep-guardiola) sat down to his post-game press conference, there were a few comments that could have been construed as swipes.

Manchester City failed to close the gap on Premier League leaders Arsenal as they were beaten 1-0 by Tottenham. Erling Haaland didn't have a shot or a touch in ...

This is the team we have got now and these are the players we have got until the end of the season. We are going to fight until the end as we do.” But we’re not seeing the full package of what this player can do because of the team that he’s actually gone to.” “You think of that goal he scored at West Ham on the first game of the season, where there’s space in behind, he makes that run. But they’ve conceded more and it’s far easier to counter attack them as well. Now I know that’s not there that often because of the way City play, but he’s come from Borussia Dortmund where it’s a counter-attacking league and it’s end to end, and you see that blistering pace that he’s got.

Premier League top goalscorer Haaland cut a frustrated figure in the capital and failed to have a single shot on target. Haaland has scored 31 goals in 28 ...

We can go on a run from now until the end of the season and it is just about doing it.” “I hear it all the time but he has got I think 25 goals already this season. “The way we play is unique but, listen, Erling has been fantastic.

Debate raged after City's 1-0 loss at Tottenham regarding the Norwegian's effect on the team, with Carragher arguing that they have become a 'lesser team' ...

Right now they're not, they're not getting the ball in early enough,' he said. 'They're a different team and a lesser team with Haaland in the team, but again it's not his fault. 'Haaland is a top, top striker if you look at his movement in the box. You hear stories about strikers complaining all the time. He may have actually picked the wrong club to actually get the best out of him. 'Haaland will still score 25 league goals and a lot of those are coming across and he's putting it in.

When is a rant not a rant? When nobody gets angry, perhaps? Erling Haaland inspires Jamie Carragher to do his job while Garth Crooks remains eccentric.

And only Garth could write that Kaoru Mitoma ‘is the most exciting player I have seen in a Brighton shirt since a young Peter Ward burst onto the scene in the 1970s’. Harry Kane deservedly earns inclusion, with Crooks writing: ‘There is of course, a certain irony attached to Kane’s accomplishment, as his record goal was scored against Manchester City, a side he almost joined. I suppose that’s the price you pay when you pursue records and not trophies.’ Also included was Amadou Onana: ‘It was Onana who seemed to get the blood pumping among Evertonians as he took the game to the Gunners. As usual, it’s a treasure trove of half-baked ideas and nonsense. By that point Antony and Wout Weghorst had already been subbed off and Garnacho was the only other purely attacking player left on the pitch along with Marcus Rashford. I said some time ago that injured defender Virgil van Dijk is their most important player and one clean sheet in their last 10 away Premier League matches rather proves the point. When is a rant not a rant? It’s a man doing his sodding job. Is he impassioned? But is he angry? He simply explains in a very intelligent and informed fashion why Manchester City and Erling Haaland is a combination that is running into some difficulty.

Erling Haaland has 25 goals in the Premier League already this season but looked isolated against Tottenham, with Arsenal let off the hook after their ...

At times I played in a team that was regarded as the passing team, we were accused all the time of trying - but only when we lost or drew - we were accused all the time of trying to score the perfect goal. It’s far easier to get at Manchester City now, as we saw today, and that’s the big problem." They’re too busy trying to score the perfect goal - he’s scored 25 goals. Then the centre forward comes out, he goes back in and they threaten again but he doesn’t cross it - they go mad with that. "Let’s use him to the best of his ability. Ask any striker, as any of the strikers that played today, any striker you ever meet, what do you want?

It's an extraordinary viewpoint from the former Liverpool defender given Haaland has scored 25 league goals in just 20 appearances this season. But the Premier ...

“Haaland will still score 25 league goals and a lot of those are coming across and he’s putting it in. “I’ve felt this season when he’s scored his goals, I think we’ve only seen 60 percent of Haaland,” opined the pundit, when speaking on Sky Sports. Haaland cut a frustrated figure in North London, leading to Carragher’s claim that the 22-year-old may be at the wrong club.

Rio Ferdinand has backed Erling Haaland amid criticism that he has made Manchester City a worse team following the club's recent struggles in the Premier ...

The team have to take responsibility as well not just him. Haaland (left) has been Pep Guardiola's star of the season for City so far this season - Rio Ferdinand has jumped to the defence of Man City star Erling Haaland