Pep Guardiola has defended Erling Haaland once more, emphasizing that the current state of Manchester City’s problems cannot be attributed to a single individual.

For the fifth time in six games, Haaland failed to score in Saturday’s 2-1 loss to Aston Villa, the Premier League champions’ ninth loss in 12 games in all competitions.

“First, I’m looking at myself,” the striker from Norway said to TNT Sports after the match. I haven’t been taking advantage of opportunities. I need to improve; I haven’t performed well enough.

Once more, Pep Guardiola (right) has defended striker Erling Haaland

After that, City manager Guardiola defended Haaland, who has scored 108 goals for the team since coming in 2022, stating that “we will be even worse without him” and that “he needs to be delivered the right balls in the right spots.”

Additionally, Guardiola stated: “It’s about us, not just one player,” during his news conference on Christmas Eve prior to the Boxing Day home match against Everton.

“The team was the reason we scored goals in the past and Erling was so helpful and prolific.

And when there are issues in the midfield or in the back, it affects the entire squad, not just one guy. If there was only one participant, it would be simple, which is why. That isn’t the point.

“Erling has been and will continue to be extremely important to us. (We must) make an effort to employ him more effectively and to do things better.

“In this case, we all have a tendency to say, ‘the reason why is this one, and this one, and this one,'” he continued. It concerns us and all of us.

“The guys are working harder than ever as they run.” The inclination to blame this circumstance, this player, or this management on the fact that we don’t run or fight… That isn’t the point.

“There are a lot of small or large aspects that contribute to the overall lack of quality that we had. But on Boxing Day, we have another chance.”