Pep Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City, praised his Norwegian international striker Erling Haaland, confirming he is currently the best striker in the world. However, he refused to reveal whether he would start him in the anticipated top-of-the-table clash against Liverpool, scheduled for tomorrow, Sunday, in the English Premier League.
Guardiola’s comments came during the press conference ahead of the awaited match, where he said: “I don’t know until tomorrow if Haaland will start the match, but all I can say is that Erling is the best. Erling is the best striker in the world.”
A relative dip in the Norwegian striker’s form
This statement comes at a time when Haaland is going through a period of relative decline in form, having scored only two goals in his last two matches with the team. Guardiola also preferred to keep him on the bench during Manchester City’s 3-1 win over Newcastle United in the second leg of the English League Cup semi-final.
The Norwegian striker came on in the 71st minute of that encounter but was unable to regain his usual scoring touch, after having started the season remarkably by scoring 19 goals in 14 matches across all competitions, becoming the fastest player in Premier League history to reach one hundred goals.
Haaland had previously scored against Liverpool during Manchester City’s 3-0 win over the Reds in the eleventh round of the league on the 9th of last November. However, Guardiola avoided confirming his starting role in the upcoming return fixture.
On another note, Guardiola avoided discussing his personal future with Manchester City, amid increasing speculation about a potential departure at the end of the current season, confirming that his contract still has an additional year remaining. He said: “I have one year left on my contract, which is the same answer I gave two months ago.”
The Spanish coach signed a two-year contract extension in November 2024, keeping him with the club until June 2027, continuing his successful tenure during which he has won 18 titles with City, including six Premier League titles and a UEFA Champions League title.
Guardiola responds to calls from Jewish community leaders
Guardiola also reaffirmed his commitment to his humanitarian stances regarding the ongoing conflicts in Palestine, Ukraine, and Sudan, following calls from some Jewish community leaders for him to focus only on football. He said: “I haven’t said anything extraordinary, and I don’t understand why I’m not allowed to express my feelings just because I’m a manager. I condemn all conflicts without exception.”
He added: “What I meant is the scale of conflicts currently existing in the world, and there are many, and I condemn them all.”
Attention now turns to the Manchester City vs. Liverpool summit on Sunday, which could play a pivotal role in the race for the Premier League title this season, with great anticipation surrounding Guardiola’s decision on whether or not to start Haaland.
Manchester City
Manchester City is a professional football club based in Manchester, England, founded in 1880 as St. Mark’s (West Gorton). The club has a long history, with its most transformative period beginning in 2008 with its acquisition by the Abu Dhabi United Group, leading to significant investment and multiple Premier League titles.
Liverpool
Liverpool is a historic port city in northwest England, which grew to global prominence during the 18th and 19th centuries due to its pivotal role in the transatlantic trade, including the slave trade. Its maritime history is central to its identity, and its cultural significance is recognized globally through its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its mercantile architecture and as the birthplace of The Beatles.
English Premier League
The English Premier League is a professional football competition founded in 1992 as a breakaway from the Football League’s First Division, becoming the top tier of English football. It is now one of the world’s most-watched and commercially successful sports leagues, known for its global reach and competitive nature.
Newcastle United
Newcastle United is a professional football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, founded in 1892. Historically, the club has been a mainstay of English football, winning four First Division titles in the early 20th century and gaining a reputation for its passionate fanbase at its home ground, St James’ Park.
English League Cup
The English League Cup, now known as the Carabao Cup for sponsorship reasons, is an annual knockout football competition for men’s clubs in the top tiers of English football. First held in 1960–61, it was created to provide clubs with an additional source of revenue from floodlit midweek fixtures. It is one of the three major domestic trophies in English football alongside the Premier League and the FA Cup.
Premier League
The Premier League is the top level of the English football league system, founded in 1992 when clubs in the Football League First Division broke away to capitalize on lucrative television rights deals. It has since grown into one of the world’s most popular and commercially successful sports leagues, known for its global audience and competitive nature.
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League is an annual club football competition organized by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). It was first introduced in the 1955–56 season as the European Champion Clubs’ Cup, evolving into its current group and knockout format in 1992. It is widely considered the most prestigious club tournament in European football.
Palestine
Palestine is a historical and geographic region in the Eastern Mediterranean, with a deeply layered history of Canaanite, Israelite, Roman, Byzantine, Islamic, and Ottoman rule. It is central to the Abrahamic faiths and is the location of significant holy sites like Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Nativity. In the modern era, it is defined by the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict over national sovereignty and borders.
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe with a rich history dating back to the medieval state of Kyivan Rus. It has experienced periods of independence as well as rule by various empires, before re-establishing its sovereignty with the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. The country is known for its diverse cultural heritage, Orthodox Christian cathedrals, and the Black Sea coastline.
Sudan
Sudan, located in Northeast Africa, is home to ancient civilizations, most notably the Kingdom of Kush, which ruled from the city of Meroë and was a major rival to ancient Egypt. The modern nation gained independence from Anglo-Egyptian rule in 1956 and has since been marked by a rich cultural heritage from numerous ethnic groups, though also by prolonged civil conflict.
