Guardiola confident of Haaland revival if Man City ‘play better’

Pep Guardiola has not ruled out making additions during the January transfer window in an attempt to turn around the Premier League winners’ fortunes, but he thinks Erling Haaland will recover his form as long as the rest of his Manchester City teammates improve.

With only one victory and eight losses in their previous 11 games across all competitions, City is in a slump unlike any other Guardiola has experienced in his illustrious managerial career.

Haaland, a vital player when City was winning an unprecedented four straight Premier League titles, has been denied service and opportunities due to the decline and has only scored once in his previous five games.

Guardiola, however, said he had no interest in reverting to the ‘false nine’ system that he has used to good effect in the past.

“I prefer to play with Erling,” said Guardiola ahead of Saturday’s Premier League trip to Aston Villa.

“I don’t think in the situation that I have that I don’t let Erling play — absolutely not. No, no, I didn’t think about that.

“Always I play false nines for the quality specifically of the players I have in that moment.

“In some games playing man to man, I love to play against false nines but I have an Erling, I have to adapt.”

The Catalan boss added: “I see him well, I see him fine. The reason why maybe he’s not so productive in this situation is for the way we are playing, that we don’t produce the amount of chances that we were able to do in the past.

“When he’s surrounded by two or three or four central defenders it’s not easy for him. We have to play better, to create the spaces for him.”

City have rarely ventured into the transfer market during the January window in Guardiola’s eight years in charge but he accepts that policy could change this time around.

“We’ll see,” he said. “I don’t know how many times in the last years we’ve gone into the winter (market) — maybe just Aymeric Laporte seven years ago.

“We’re not a big fan of that but the circumstances of this season have been special. We have to see if something is possible and if not we will wait until the summer time.”