LONDON – Manchester City’s tactics remain the same even if goal machine Erling Haaland is absent, manager Pep Guardiola said on Saturday after his side romped to a 4-1 win over Liverpool with the Norwegian striker cheering on from the sidelines.
Argentinian World Cup winner Julian Alvarez, Kevin de Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan and Jack Grealish were on target for City, brushing aside any fears that they may struggle to score without Haaland. This despite the Reds opening the scoring through Mohamed Salah on 17 minutes.
“Nothing changed,” Guardiola said, after his 100th win at the Etihad with City. “The quality, the football tactics are (about) players. When we have Erling, we have something special.
“Julian (Alvarez) is something special too. He’s so clever with the ball. He’s an exceptional player. The club made an exceptional signing with him – he’s a world champion alongside Lionel Messi because he has something.”
City’s thrashing of Jurgen Klopp’s beleaguered side kept them eight points adrift of leaders Arsenal in the chase for the Premier League title. City have played a game fewer.
Said Klopp: “The goals, how we conceded them, it’s difficult to accept – we didn’t put in a challenge for either. That’s absolutely not acceptable... We were lucky they weren’t in a greedy mood.”
Premier League top scorer Haaland, whose haul of 42 goals in all competitions includes 28 in the league, suffered a groin injury against Burnley on March 18. His fitness is unclear, although TV cameras caught him on his feet wildly celebrating Alvarez’s goal.
However, Guardiola was criticised for his exuberant celebrations.
The City manager pumped his fists wildly after Alvarez’s goal and then confronted Liverpool substitutes Kostas Tsimikas and Arthur Melo when they walked by him on the sidelines seconds later.
He grinned and shook his fists at Tsimikas before giving him a pat on the side, and then grabbed Melo in a handshake.
“I don’t know how Tsimikas hasn’t pushed him out of the way there,” former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand told BT Sport.
“I celebrate a goal... the goal was nice,” Guardiola said, wiping a hand over his face.
“You thought it was a lack of respect?” he asked a reporter. “I’m really sorry, I’m so sorry.”
The club also issued a statement after chants of “Always the victim, it’s never your fault,” broke out around the stadium.
It was prompted by Liverpool’s pleas to referee Simon Hooper to send Rodri off after a challenge on Cody Gakpo.
City also had to condemn the actions of individuals responsible for causing damage to Liverpool’s team bus on their return journey following the match at the Etihad.
City said an object was thrown towards the bus in a residential area.
Greater Manchester Police said they had launched an investigation after reports of criminal damage and said there were no injuries, adding that the bus continued with its journey.
“Incidents of this kind are totally unacceptable, and we strongly condemn the actions of the individual(s) responsible,” City said in a statement. REUTERS
