Pep Guardiola will rethink tactics to get most out of Erling Haaland
CLOSE ATTENTION: Manchester City's Erling Haaland see's his shot blocked by Manchester United's Fred (left) during the Premier League match at Old Trafford, Manchester. Pic: Martin Rickett/PA Wire
Erling Haaland is the most prolific striker in European, probably world, football but, as he trudged off the field following another Manchester City defeat, that could not prevent a growing shift towards a belief that would have sounded heresy a few, short weeks ago.
Could it be that Pep Guardiola’s majestic side, champions without Haaland in four of the last five seasons, was actually a better team him in their side?
More than one pundit has been emboldened to make such an outlandish claim, especially at the end of a week in which, for the first time in almost exactly three years, City lost consecutive games.
Guardiola was quick to point out that this derby defeat, against English football’s most in-form side, was a much-improved performance on the desultory midweek Carabao Cup exit at Southampton.
But still, this City display was a world removed from even earlier this season, when Haaland was embarking on a run that has seen him score 27 times already this season, and his side looked unstoppable.
Now? City not only trail leaders Arsenal by eight points but are looking over their shoulders as much as they are up to the top of the table.
United are a solitary point behind, Newcastle have the momentum and are closing fast and even Tottenham, who visit City on Thursday, are suddenly within touching distance from fifth place and with half of the season remaining.
Meanwhile, Haaland has not scored in 280 minutes - a lifetime by his usual goalscoring standards - and Guardiola admits that is forcing him into a tactical re-think, especially given the impressive manner in which United’s midfield stifled City’s creativity, notably Kevin De Bruyne.
“Today Erling had enough touches but it’s true that when you are looking at areas and you have to look at him. But we will do it,” said Guardiola.
“At the moment we have that process because when teams are sat in their 18-yard box it is more difficult but we have to find him a little bit more, yes. They defended well, so tight and Fred followed Kevin and the other one followed Bernardo Silva, so it is difficult. But we were there all the time, I could recognise my team. That is all I can say.
“At Southampton…what is this? What is this team? But this was the opposite. I recognise my team from many many years.”
There was more than a hint of Guardiola attempting to lift his team psychologically after this stunning reverse because, despite his claims to the contrary, this was not a vintage, or even typical, City display.
The controversy surrounding Bruno Fernandes’s equaliser, correctly allowed, according to current interpretations of the rule, despite Marcus Rashford standing in an offside position, disguised the fact that City were clearly still unsettled when they conceded Rashford’s winner just four minutes later.
That cancelled out Jack Grealish’s opening goal, scored during a dominant 20-minute start to the second half from the visitors that was the only period of the game in which City resembled their old selves.
“We've watched City's last few games and in the first half they've not been at it in games and we've known that,” said United defender Luke Shaw.
“In the second half they've always come back out and been more their normal selves. In the second half we knew they were going to be much better than the first.
“They played well to get their goal but it shows where we are at the moment, with the belief that we can come back and win the game. We did that and the crowd was bouncing and it's a wonderful ground to be at when it is.
“In big games against City everyone knows there's going to be long periods of the game when you are going to suffer because they keep the ball so well. They're so good at that.
“Of course in the game against them in October we learned a big lesson. It showed us where we were at that point in time, but the win today shows we're clearly going in the right direction and taking the right steps.”
That embarrassing 6-3 defeat at the Etihad in October seems a lifetime away and United have lost just once in 19 games since; a run of form that has their long-suffering supporters daring to whisper about the possibility of their team joining this season’s title race.
“It's too early to think about that,” said Shaw. “Right now as a team we have make sure we have the right consistency in performances and results.
“We're still in four competitions. We're Manchester United, we have to aim high. Of course we want to win all four but whether that happens or not is down to us, it's down to the way we act, the way we rest and get ready for the next game.”
De Gea 6; Wan-Bissaka 6, Varane 7, Shaw 6, Malacia 6 (Martinez 90); Casemiro 7 (McTominay 90), Fred 7; Fernandes 9, Eriksen 5 (Garnacho 71, 7), Rashford 8 (Maguire 90); Martial 5 (Antony 45, 5).
Lindelof, Heaton, Elanga, Mainoo.
Ederson 6; Walker 5, Akanji 5, Ake 5, Cancelo 6; De Bruyne 7, Rodri 6, Silva 6; Mahrez 5, Haaland 6, Foden 5 (Grealish 56, 7).
Phillips, Gundogan, Laporte, Ortega, Alvarez, Gomez, Palmer, Lewis.
: S Attwell 7.
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