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Manchester City star striker Erling Haaland has delivered a blunt assessment of his team’s start to the season, calling it “not good enough” as Pep Guardiola’s men prepare for Sunday’s Manchester derby at the Etihad Stadium.
City began their campaign strongly with a win against Wolves but have since stumbled, suffering back-to-back defeats to Tottenham and Brighton. The slip has left them trailing rivals Manchester United by a single point, adding even more weight to this weekend’s high-stakes clash.
“We’ve lost two games in a row, it’s not good enough, it’s way too bad,” Haaland told Viaplay. “We need to figure it out, get back to winning ways. We can’t afford to lose games as there’s so many good teams. It’s perfect to turn things around against United. We need to all be on our best, get our asses going, get things going, because it’s not been good enough so far.”
“Losing’s not cool” – Erling Haaland’s rallying cry
The Norwegian forward emphasized that defeats must be used as fuel for improvement rather than setbacks, particularly when a clash with United offers the perfect stage to respond.
“Losing’s not cool. It’s annoying you need to use it for something positive. As motivation to do better the next game, and I expect that we are. We need to use the angriness inside us out on the pitch to deliver at our highest level,” Haaland added.
His words set the tone for a derby that could shape the direction of City’s season, especially given their demanding schedule of seven games in 22 days.
Guardiola acknowledges pressure on his reign
Manager Pep Guardiola echoed Erling Haaland’s urgency, insisting that results define his tenure despite the club’s historic success under his leadership. With his contract running until June 2027, Guardiola admitted he must keep delivering silverware to justify his position.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Guardiola said. “I know the results dictate all the positions of the teams and I have to make a good season for that. I will not stay here when I feel that the club needs a change, but right now I feel I want to do it more than ever after what happened last season and especially now in that moment.”
The manager added: “I like to look forward, that’s why we have to grab success because all the time we are thinking about what’s the next.”
Donnarumma set for debut, injury concerns linger
Guardiola confirmed that Gianluigi Donnarumma, signed from Paris Saint-Germain on deadline day for €35 million, is likely to start against United, replacing James Trafford in goal. The Italian is expected to bring a different style from Ederson, who recently departed for Fenerbahce.
“I will not demand Gigi to do something like he’s uncomfortable,” Guardiola explained. “We are talking about the best players I’ve ever seen in the distribution, in short and long, with Ederson. So we didn’t take Gigi to do what Ederson has done. Gigi has another quality.”
City will be without forward Omar Marmoush for several weeks due to a knee injury sustained during international duty with Egypt, while John Stones remains doubtful after missing England’s qualifiers with a muscular problem. On a positive note, defender Rico Lewis has committed his future to the club, signing a new deal until 2030 with an option for an additional year.
Derby with high stakes
For Erling Haaland and Manchester City, the derby against United offers more than bragging rights—it represents a crucial chance to reset their campaign. With frustrations running high and pressure mounting, City will look to channel their “angriness” into a performance that could reignite their title charge.
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