Erling Haaland will have last laugh despite missing more chances – Pep Guardiola
Pep Guardiola has laughed off suggestions he should be concerned about the number of chances Erling Haaland has missed this season. The Manchester City manager claims anyone who says the prolific Norwegian has become wasteful will be proved wrong – and forced to apologise – soon enough. Haaland scored 52 goals in an extraordinary debut campaign at City last season and, on the face of it, has started this one strongly too with seven in eight appearances. Don’t criticise Erling too much. You will be in a position where you have to apologise to him Pep Guardiola Yet analysis shows he has missed 12 ‘big chances’ this term, nine of them being in his last two outings against West Ham and Red Star Belgrade. After eight games last season he had scored 12 goals, with eight ‘big chances’ missed. “I will not sleep tonight!” Guardiola joked when these numbers were put to him at a press conference to preview the champions Premier League clash with Nottingham Forest on Saturday. “He has had incredible chances and he could have scored 14-15 goals now. What is important is he always says, ‘I have the chance, I have the chance, I have the chance. The problem is when I do not have chances, or I do not get balls or I am in the wrong position’. “My advice is don’t criticise Erling too much. Criticise the full-back, the central defender or the manager, but never, never the striker who scored all those goals because he will and then you will be in a position where you have to apologise to him.” Guardiola concedes Haaland was not fully fit at the start of the season, but that is not unexpected after last year’s exertions. He said: “No (he was not fully fit) – it is quite simple – but in the pre-season I cannot expect him to be fully fit. “Normally the new players come and are fully fit earlier. When you don’t start the last season, you are fitter earlier. “When you win the treble maybe you think, ‘I wait a week longer to be completely fit’. It is a question of time. “Erling is much better than in the first week. Every week he is better and everything is there. “He is an incredible threat. He has had a lot of chances and that means we are playing good. Always I have the sense that the team are doing quite good by the number of chances Erling has.”
2023-09-23 05:47
Unmarked wartime grave relatives found 83 years on
A family link is traced to Kent for a victim of a World War Two tragedy who was buried in Ayrshire.
2023-09-23 05:46
Sen. Bob Menendez allegedly had a stash of gold bars. That's become a trend
When it comes to taking bribes one might think cash is usually king. Consider Sen. Bob Menendez, who allegedly accepted gold bar bribes, an outlier.
2023-09-23 05:45
Patrick Mahomes, Justin Fields set to make NFL history in Chiefs-Bears Week 3 battle
Patrick Mahomes and Justin Fields will make NFL history when the Chicago Bears visit the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.
2023-09-23 05:29
Jets' Rodgers is focused on getting healthy and playing again but won't put a timeline on his return
Aaron Rodgers misses being around his New York Jets teammates and feels a bit isolated at times as he recovers from surgery on his torn left Achilles tendon
2023-09-23 05:29
US judge strikes down California ban on high-capacity gun magazines
By Jonathan Stempel A federal judge in California on Friday declared that state's ban on magazines that hold
2023-09-23 05:24
At the edge of the UN security perimeter, those with causes (and signs) try to be heard
The U.N. General Assembly, the most inherently international event, is also the most American
2023-09-23 05:16
49ers give contract extensions to coach Kyle Shanahan and GM John Lynch
The San Francisco 49ers have given coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch multi-year contract extensions
2023-09-23 04:58
Biden unveils a new White House Office of Gun Safety
President Joe Biden on Friday unveiled a new White House Office of Gun Safety, a step he said was part of an effort "to send a clear message about how important this issue is to me and the country.
2023-09-23 04:54
Chrissy Teigen, Natasha Rothwell roll up their sleeves to bring attention to restaurant worker wages
Several stars took a moment this week to focus on a cause that's getting considerably less attention than striking actors and writers -- specifically, the subpar pay and conditions facing the vast majority of US restaurant workers.
2023-09-23 04:52
Senator Menendez's wife of three years at center of bribery allegations
By Tom Hals and Luc Cohen Three years ago, New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez announced that after months
2023-09-23 04:29
Real estate stocks extend losses as rates soar
By Sinéad Carew Shares in real estate companies fell on Friday, adding to a massive sell-off the previous
2023-09-23 04:26