Erling Haaland Matches Unwanted Man City Record, Proving His Human Side
Erling Haaland, the Manchester City striker, recently equalled a seven-year unwanted record after missing nine chances in the 1-1 draw against Chelsea. Despite his wastefulness in front of goal, Haaland has proven that even the best players can have off days.
The match at the Etihad saw Rodri cancelling out Raheem Sterling’s first-half opener. However, if Haaland had been more clinical, his team could have secured all three points. The Norwegian international had opportunities to score in both halves but failed to find the back of the net from his nine attempts.
This performance makes Haaland the first City player since Sergio Aguero in 2017 to fail to score from as many shots. It is a surprising statistic for a player who has been so prolific this season, with 16 Premier League goals to his name. In fact, his xG (expected goals) for this match was 1.71, indicating that he had several good opportunities to score.
Despite his wastefulness, Pep Guardiola, the City manager, refused to criticize his star striker. Guardiola, who himself had a modest scoring record during his playing career, commented after the match: “I played 11 years [at Barcelona] and scored 11 goals so I can’t give too much advice to Erling. The next one he will score. In the first half we didn’t perform well and that’s what we have to improve.”
Haaland’s recent form has raised some concerns among fans, as he has only scored twice in his last six league matches. However, he demonstrated his clinical ability in the previous week’s 2-0 win against Everton, where he found the back of the net twice.
Manchester City’s draw against Chelsea has left them in third place in the Premier League table, trailing behind second-placed Arsenal by two points and league leaders Liverpool by four points. Despite having a game in hand, City will not move to the top of the table with a victory. The race for the title is heating up, and City will need Haaland to regain his scoring touch to maintain their challenge.
In conclusion, while Erling Haaland’s wastefulness in front of goal against Chelsea may have cost Manchester City two points, it is important to remember that even the best players can have off days. Haaland’s recent record-breaking statistic highlights his human side, but his previous performances demonstrate his clinical ability. As City continues their pursuit of the Premier League title, they will be hoping that Haaland quickly regains his scoring touch. Only time will tell if he can bounce back and continue to be a key player for his team.