LONDON – Pep Guardiola feted Erling Haaland’s “incredible attribute as an athlete”, after he bounced back from missing a sitter to tuck home the game-winning penalty against Crystal Palace in the English Premier League on Saturday.
It broke the resistance of a dogged Palace and secured a 1-0 win at Selhurst Park.
The win moved second-placed City to 61 points after 27 games.
On Haaland, Guardiola said: “One of the best things of knowing him well together is he can miss one chance and he won’t get depressed, or he’s not sad. And he’s positive – next one.
“He knows he will have the chance and he’ll be there. That’s an incredible attribute as a football player and as an athlete.
“Normally, in football, basketball or tennis, when you’re thinking of the action just passed or finished, you cannot be a good athlete. This guy has another one, another one.”
After an electrifying start to the season, the 22-year-old Norwegian has had to work harder to get on the end of chances, as teams do a better job of closing him down but he is relishing the challenge.
“I enjoy it, this is England, this is what I have watched my whole life. I enjoy every single second being in it,” he said.
The visitors made a swift start, with midfielder Rodri clipping a powerful third-minute volley straight at custodian Vicente Guaita and Jack Grealish pulling a shot just wide. But with the home side packing their defence, City had a hard time breaking them down.
In a sign of frustration, Haaland smashed a shot from a very tight angle goalwards just before the half-hour mark and then blasted the rebound wide, as his side dominated possession.
City had an excellent chance early in the second half, when Grealish was fouled on the edge of the box but Guaita pulled off a tremendous diving save to keep out Phil Foden’s free kick.
City went even closer on the hour mark when substitute Julian Alvarez turned superbly on the edge of the box as he received the ball from Bernardo Silva, but he blasted his shot over the bar with the goal at his mercy.
With Palace occasionally stringing six defenders across the back and using their forwards to clog the middle, Haaland was repeatedly crowded out and City had to constantly recycle the ball as they sought space in which to play.
City’s breakthrough finally came when captain Ilkay Gundogan was upended in the box by Michael Olise’s clumsy late challenge.
Said Palace manager Patrick Vieira: “The frustration is conceding the penalty and that is something we should avoid, that lack of concentration... I need someone to take leadership and a voice to defend better.”
Undeterred by his long spells without the ball, Haaland stepped up and smashed home the spot kick low to the goalkeeper’s left in the 78th minute, for his 28th league goal of the season and his 34th in all competitions.
Former City and England striker Daniel Sturridge told Sky Sports: “His mentality is his strongest trait. He’s so confident in himself, when he misses a chance it affects him for maybe two or three seconds, and then he thinks, ‘All right, I’ll get another one and put that away’. He has zero fear, you can see it in his eyes.” REUTERS
