Manchester City thrashed Fulham 4-0 away at Manchester City and there was an ironic moment when Erling Haaland flew away in the face of such a great opportunity! It's a puzzling question, why did the Norwegian shooter suddenly relent?
Let's talk about this outrageous scene first. With 61 minutes played, City were already 2-0 up. Midfielder Kevin De Bruyne delivered a brilliant diagonal ball that looked like an eye and passed exactly through the gap between the opposition defenders and landed right at the feet of Haaland. This big man who is 1.9 meters tall, facing the goalkeeper and only 9 meters away from the goal, he is usually ruthless in this situation. But who would have thought that Haaland would shoot a "flying fairy" with one kick, and the ball flew high over the crossbar.
Can you imagine Pep Guardiola's face at that time? It's just a "Am I sleepwalking?" ". He stood on the sidelines, holding his head in his hands, obviously a little confused by this sudden "surprise". Haaland himself was stunned, as if he couldn't believe it was really happening.
It's reminiscent of Haaland's performances this season. Overall, he is indeed City's leading scorer, but there have been a few crucial mistakes, such as a mediocre performance in the Champions League against Real Madrid, which cost City a chance to advance. However, on second thought, in the last round against Wolves, he also staged a big four! This kind of performance of driving high and walking low, hot and cold, really makes fans confused for a while.
Haaland was substituted in the 82nd minute and substitute Alvarez immediately showed what he could do, not only quickly creating a penalty opportunity, but also scoring himself to seal a 4-0 victory. Such a performance is undoubtedly a silent mockery of Haaland.
Having said that, despite Haaland's underwhelming performance, we can't ignore his contributions throughout the season. After all, the young Norwegian striker's help to the team is obvious. His shots, his movements, his assists, these are his strengths. It's just that the occasional mistake may be a reminder that even the top scorers are out of shape at times.
Overall, Haaland has been a bit out of the ordinary in this game, but that shouldn't overshadow his shine all season. He remains a strong contender for the Premier League's top scorer going forward. For Pep Guardiola and Manchester City, the key is how to make better use of Haaland's abilities to ensure they get the best out of every game.
As for the fans, although they may be disappointed by Haaland's mistakes, he should also be given more understanding and support. After all, football matches are always full of unpredictable elements, and that's what makes it appealing. In future competitions, Haaland will undoubtedly have more opportunities to show his talent.
Finally, for this game, although Haaland's performance became a small episode, Manchester City's overall performance was commendable. From attacking and defending to possession and layout, Pep Guardiola's tactical system remains valid, showing that City don't rely solely on individual players. This depth of team and tactical maturity is key to their ability to consistently compete at a high level.
And for a knife like Haaland, small setbacks may be the catalyst for his growth. I expect him to respond to all doubts with more goals in the next games and prove once again that he is a worthy top scorer.
In short, football games are like that, you never know what will happen in the next second. Like in this game, you might have thought Haaland would have scored easily, but it turned out to be an incredible mistake. But that's the beauty of football, isn't it? We look forward to every weekend because this game always surprises and excites us. Manchester City and Haaland, there are many more stories waiting for us to follow and enjoy.