Erling Haaland’s season has followed a familiar arc — explosive, dominant and seemingly unstoppable — before suddenly stalling. While his overall numbers remain elite, recent weeks have raised a serious question for Manchester City and Pep Guardiola: has the Norwegian striker been pushed too far?
Haaland has scored 39 goals in 36 appearances for club and country this season, yet his output has sharply dipped, with just one goal in his last eight matches. That downturn has coincided with City losing ground in the Premier League title race and suffering a shock Champions League defeat to Bodo/Glimt — a result that underlined wider issues of fatigue, rhythm and control.
Guardiola cited a lack of energy after City’s derby loss to Manchester United, and Haaland himself has acknowledged the toll of an increasingly congested schedule.
Haaland’s confidence remains intact, but his frustration was clear following the defeat in Norway. A missed first-time chance from eight yards — an opportunity he would routinely convert at his best — encapsulated his current struggles.
“I take full responsibility,” Haaland said afterwards. “I do my best whenever I’m on the pitch — and I’m on the pitch quite often because we play a ridiculous amount of games.”
From a workload perspective, the numbers are telling. Haaland has already logged 2,568 minutes across 31 matches in all competitions this season. Among forwards in Europe’s top five leagues, only Jean-Philippe Mateta has played more minutes. With City still competing across multiple fronts — and Norway friendlies scheduled — Haaland could conceivably reach nearly 70 matches before the World Cup this summer.
That volume raises unavoidable questions about physical freshness and sharpness, particularly for a striker whose game relies heavily on explosive movement.
Beyond goals, Haaland’s underlying metrics point to a genuine decline in attacking influence. Since his last open-play goal against West Ham more than a month ago:
These figures suggest not just poor finishing, but fewer high-quality opportunities — a key distinction when assessing form versus structural problems.
While Haaland has shouldered responsibility, Guardiola’s rotation decisions have also come under examination. The choice to play him for 45 minutes in a one-sided FA Cup win over Exeter City raised eyebrows, particularly with younger alternatives available.
However, Guardiola’s caution is shaped by experience. A heavily rotated side was punished in a shock Champions League defeat to Bayer Leverkusen earlier in the season, reinforcing his reluctance to gamble in key moments.
Still, with Omar Marmoush returning from AFCON and Antoine Semenyo offering positional flexibility, City now have greater scope to ease the burden on their number nine.
Haaland remains the Premier League’s leading scorer with 20 goals in 22 games, yet his recent drought highlights a tactical shift.
Earlier in the season, City embraced a more direct, transitional style, exploiting Haaland’s pace with early passes in behind. That approach generated more fast-break goals than in either of the previous two seasons combined and played directly to his strengths.
As the campaign has progressed, City have reverted to a more controlled, possession-heavy model, prioritising defensive stability. While this reduces counter-attacks conceded, it also invites low blocks — precisely the scenario in which Haaland is most dependent on service quality.
Injuries have compounded the problem. The absence of Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias has slowed City’s progression from deep, while Rodri is still regaining form. Gvardiol, in particular, ranks among the league’s best for line-breaking passes and progressive carries — attributes crucial to releasing Haaland early.
Against deeper defences, Haaland typically thrives in two scenarios: cut-backs after wide penetration or back-post finishes from crosses. Neither has been consistently available.
Jeremy Doku’s form has dipped, reducing City’s ability to pin full-backs and create space centrally. Matheus Nunes, one of City’s most reliable crossers and Haaland’s second-best assist provider behind Kevin De Bruyne, has also been absent — further limiting supply.
Opponents, increasingly focused on crowding Haaland with two defenders, have forced City’s secondary scorers to step up. Tijjani Reijnders has responded by attacking near-post spaces, but the system still relies heavily on creating room for Haaland to operate.
Former striker Chris Sutton is unconcerned, insisting Haaland “will come good again.” History suggests he is right — elite goalscorers rarely stay quiet for long.
However, this period highlights a broader issue. Without pace, width and verticality, City risk neutralising their greatest weapon. Whether through smarter rotation, tactical adjustment or reintegration of key personnel, Guardiola must restore the conditions that allow Haaland to thrive.
Otherwise, the goals may return — but not at the relentless rate City have come to depend on.
