In a thrilling Premier League encounter between Manchester City and Chelsea, Rodri’s late goal forced the teams to settle for a 1-1 draw; Erling Haaland had nine shots and an xG total of 1.71, his most for both without scoring in a City game across all competitions.
Erling Haaland was not held accountable by Pep Guardiola for squandered opportunities during Manchester City’s dismal 1-1 Saturday Night Football stalemate with Chelsea.
Held in a thrilling Premier League match at the Etihad Stadium, the champions were denied many opportunities, including a clear-cut free header from six yards out, by the usually prolific Haaland.
In the end, City needed a goal from Rodri in the 83rd minute to salvage a draw, as their former striker Raheem Sterling had set the Londoners on track for a surprise victory in the 43rd minute.
“It’s good to have nine shots and he’s going to score next time,” stated Guardiola, the manager of City.
“Over my 11 years as a football player, I scored 11 goals. Impressive statistics! A single objective per season. I’m not the right man to counsel strikers.
“We create the opportunities, he took advantage of them, and he will score the next time. I hold him not responsible. It’s not football; it’s people.”
After his grandma passed away, Haaland appeared irritated at the conclusion of the match and brushed aside a television camera, but the Norwegian international has had a challenging week.
Following the results, title rivals Liverpool and Arsenal emerged victorious earlier in the day, leaving City four points behind the leaders in third place.
Although Guardiola thought City paid the price for a subpar first half performance, they dominated the second half.
“As a team and a group, the first half was not like we are,” Guardiola stated.
“We have to do everything ourselves; no one is going to provide it to us, which is why the demands are so high. Since we are Manchester City, we must always look out for ourselves.
“We needed to play better in the first half, and our play and transitions in the second half were amazing.
“In general, it was really good after we conceded from Raheem but when we play teams with composure and prestige of Chelsea you have to perform at your best for 95 minutes.”
