Luke Littler mocks Erling Haaland after Man City shock defeat v Al Hilal
Erling Haaland received a simple three-word message from dart sensation Luke Littler as Man City were knocked out of the Club World Cup.
Many football fans woke up to the shocking news of Pep Guardiola‘s side losing to Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal in the early hours of Tuesday, 1 July, with the game ending as a seven-goal thriller.
The Citizens got off to a dream start through Bernardo Silva, but with two goals from Marcos Leonardo and Malcom, Haaland’s 55th-minute strike sent the game to extra time.
Kalidou Koulibaly rose highest with a header in the box before Phil Foden, who has been tipped to join Arsenal this summer, tied up the score once again before Leonardo grabbed his brace to win the game.
Despite the exciting signings of Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Cherki, and Rayan Ait-Nouri, the team will now need to rest up and prepare for the 2025/26 campaign back at the Etihad Stadium.
Man City knocked out of the Club World Cup round of 16
Taking to Instagram stories (1 July), Man United fan Littler shared the final result from Al Hilal’s surprise victory, with the simple tagline: “Stay humble, eh,” making fun of Haaland’s previous dig at Arsenal.
The Norwegian star aimed the same sentence at Gunners’ boss Mikel Arteta back in September during a 2-2 draw between the two Premier League sides.
Pep Guardiola still has plenty of work to do this summer
Football Insider verdict
City supporters are even more frustrated following a dire 2024/25 season, in which the team were knocked out of the Champions League and Carabao Cup at early stages.
Losing the FA Cup final to Crystal Palace was another blow for the Catalan, and being knocked out of the Club World Cup against the odds is another setback for the Citizens ahead of next season.
There are likely to be multiple other changes to the squad before the new campaign kicks off, with Mick Brown telling Football Insider that James McAtee will snub English teams in favour of a Germany move.
Football Insider revealed last month that Jack Grealish is open to a move to Everton, telling his friends that he would favour a move to Merseyside over Newcastle United this summer.
Based on the performance against Al Hilal, there is a lot of deadweight still in the squad, and while fans are trying not to overreact, many feel it is just a carry-on from the frustrations of last term.
Guardiola has some serious decisions to make over the coming weeks, with more money likely to be spent in the transfer market, and the Citizens must watch the American tournament from home.