Football: City need to look for Haaland more, says Guardiola

LONDON – Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has scored 32 goals all season, with 26 in the English Premier League, but his form has dipped a little after bagging just one in his last six games in all competitions.

City head into Saturday’s away league fixture at Bournemouth on the back of two draws – 1-1 against RB Leipzig in the Champions League last 16 in midweek and a stalemate by

the same score at Nottingham Forest last weekend.

Haaland played in both matches, but had just 22 touches of the ball against Leipzig and 17 against Forest.

City boss Pep Guardiola, however, insisted that it was the team’s fault for not passing the ball to the Norwegian as effectively as before.

“We talked about that (few touches) many times, it’s going to happen,” he said.

“Striker is the most difficult position, one man has two defenders and with Erling it’s more. It’s our fault. Of course, it depends on us. We need to look for him a little more.

“Erling has been good all season. It’s fine (if he’s frustrated), I’m frustrated too, you get frustrated in your life too sometimes I’m sure. Happiness is overestimated.”

With his minimal touches against Forest, Haaland missed two consecutive sitters that proved costly as City’s 1-1 draw meant that league leaders Arsenal overtook them

with a last-gasp 4-2 win over Aston Villa.

The Gunners are two points ahead of City (52) with a game in hand, and Guardiola knows that his team cannot afford any more slip-ups, with Manchester United just three points behind.

“It’s been a two-horse race, but now finally there is more,” he said.

City’s four Premier League titles in the past five seasons have been built on putting together a long streak of victories at some point of the campaign.

However, the champions are still waiting to hit top form this season.

They appeared to have turned the tide in the title race when they beat Arsenal 3-1 at the Emirates earlier in February to move to the top of the table on goal difference.

But they conceded a late goal last week in their draw against Forest after dominating the game, and the Gunners capitalised.

Guardiola will be eager to get back to winning ways and will fancy his team’s chances of beating Bournemouth as they have a 100 per cent win record against the Cherries in the Premier League, winning all 11 previous encounters.

City remain without the injured John Stones, while Kevin de Bruyne is back in training after a bout of illness and Aymeric Laporte is a doubt after also falling sick.

Bournemouth are just a point above the relegation zone, but are heading into the match following a draw with Newcastle United and a win over Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend.

Lewis Cook and David Brooks are sidelined, while Lloyd Kelly, Jordan Zemura, Junior Stanislas and Illia Zabarnyi are doubts for Gary O’Neil’s side. AFP