Erling Haaland ‘scared or bored’ as ‘something isn’t right’ at Man City
Pep Guardiola seemingly has a problem on his hands following Erling Haaland’s actions in the FA Cup final clash between Man City and Crystal Palace.
Brand new FA Cup winners were crowned at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, 17 May, as Eberechi Eze scored the only goal in a shock result in front of 84,163 supporters.
The Citizens had plenty of chances to equalise against the Eagles, especially after Bernardo Silva was brought down in the penalty area, leading to a spot-kick, which Haaland was expected to take.
Despite notching 21 penalties since arriving at the Etihad Stadium, viewers were in disbelief as Haaland handed the ball to Omar Marmoush, who saw his effort saved by Dean Henderson after 36 minutes.
Keith Hackett believes the right decision was made for Henderson not to be sent off for Palace after handling the ball outside of his box, despite major controversy, but Guardiola clearly disagreed with the decision at full-time.
Guardiola was slammed for his confrontation with the goalkeeper, and it was not the only moment to shock during the 90 minutes at Wembley Stadium.
While there were plenty of moments to focus on during the clash, Richard Keys was far more focused on the penalty situation as the Norwegian star gave up his chance to get City back into the game.
Erling Haaland hands over penalty responsibility in FA Cup final
Writing on his personal blog (19 May), Keys wrote: “He [Guardiola] should be more concerned about why Haaland didn’t take the penalty City were awarded. What’s happened to him?
“Was he scared, or is he bored? Something isn’t right. The Haaland that arrived at City would never have passed up that opportunity.”
| Erling Haaland v Crystal Palace | Stats, as per FotMob |
| Minutes played | 90 |
| Touches | 22 |
| Shot accuracy | 33% (1/3) |
| Chances created | 1 |
| Duels won | 29% (2/7) |
Pep Guardiola under increasing pressure at Man City
Football Insider verdict
Man City fans are growing impatient with Guardiola after failing to lift a single piece of silverware this season, with many suggesting that his tactics, choice of players, and stubbornness are all to blame.
The Catalan has been extremely successful during his time at the Etihad, but with Champions League football still not guaranteed, Keys also believes that Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola could be in line to replace the Man City boss.
The 54-year-old could lead several high-profile exits this summer, with Kevin De Bruyne‘s departure already confirmed, with multiple stars expected to leave once the summer transfer window opens.
Futures of Silva, Mateo Kovacic, Ederson, John Stones, Jack Grealish, and James McAtee have all been thrown into doubt, and more could follow if the manager parts ways with the club in the coming weeks.
City’s defeat to Palace in the FA Cup final was just an example of the recent poor results across all competitions that have been plaguing the team all season. It’s time for a reset.