Erling Haaland appears to be in desperate need of support from a Manchester City attacking partner, according to his manager Pep Guardiola.Amid a crucial run of fixtures, including a highly-anticipate...
Erling Haaland appears to be in desperate need of support from a Manchester City attacking partner, according to his manager Pep Guardiola.
Amid a crucial run of fixtures, including a highly-anticipated meeting with Manchester United on Saturday lunchtime, Guardiola has once again highlighted the physical demands being placed on his star striker.
Erling Haaland has largely carried the burden of Manchester City’s central attacking role for much of the campaign, often operating without a natural rotational alternative, and the intensity of domestic and cup commitments is beginning to show.
City’s recent Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg victory over Newcastle underlined both their attacking quality and the strain placed on their forward line. Antoine Semenyo continued his remarkable start to life at the club by opening the scoring, while Rayan Cherki sealed the contest late on – securing a commanding advantage heading into the return fixture.
However, the absence of consistent cover through the middle has left Haaland shouldering a relentless schedule, particularly in high-intensity matches where Manchester City dominate territory but require constant movement and pressing from their number nine.
Speaking after City’s 0-2 win at Newcastle on Tuesday night, Pep Guardiola was keen to point out the urgent need for support from Omar Marmoush in the club’s attacking set-up, particularly due to the situation surrounding Erling Haaland.
The Manchester City manager explained, “Hopefully Omar [Marmoush] comes back soon to give rest to Erling [Haaland] because Erling is exhausted.”
Pep Guardiola’s words act as a clear warning signal ahead of the weekend’s clash with Manchester United, where City will once again need all of their attacking prowess to be at their very best in the final third.
Erling Haaland no doubt remains central to those plans, but the manager’s comments suggest there is a real risk in continuing to push the Norwegian without adequate rotation, as Omar Marmoush takes on one final game at the ongoing African Cup of Nations.
Despite the Egyptian international exiting the competition via a 1-0 defeat in the semi-final stage at the hands of Senegal, a third-place play-off awaits this weekend against Nigeria in Morocco.
Looking ahead, Manchester City’s handling of Erling Haaland’s workload could be decisive in their pursuit across all competitions. Should Marmoush provide genuine competition and support, Guardiola may finally be able to rotate his attack more effectively, in turn protecting Haaland’s fitness and giving City a sharper and more unpredictable edge.
Category: General Sports
