Pep Guardiola says his Manchester City players must create more chances to help Erling Haaland rediscover his scoring touch ahead of a crucial Champions League clash.
PEP Guardiola has called on his Manchester City players to step up and help Erling Haaland end his goal drought.
The manager said his team must “play better” to create more chances for the striker ahead of Wednesday’s crucial Champions League match against Galatasaray.
Haaland last scored from open play before Christmas, with his only recent goal coming from a penalty against Brighton in early January.
Guardiola recently described his star forward as “exhausted” and left him out of the starting line-up for Saturday’s 2-0 win against Wolves.
He explained the decision was made to “clean his mind, his body”.
“Create more chances, he will score,” Guardiola said at his pre-match press conference.
“Never underestimate the strikers, the goalscorers, because always they will make you silent.”
Haaland remains top of the Premier League scoring charts with 20 goals despite his lean spell.
City go into the match on the back of a shock 3-1 away loss to Bodo/Glimt last week.
That defeat left them 11th in the Champions League league phase, among eight teams on 13 points.
Only the top eight teams qualify directly for the round of 16, with sides finishing ninth to 24th entering a two-legged play-off next month.
“I prefer to have more (points) but it is what we deserve,” said Guardiola, whose team are fighting for four trophies.
“We need to focus and try to win our game then see what position we finish.”
City will be without the suspended Rodri following his sending-off in Norway.
New signings Marc Guehi and Antoine Semenyo are both ineligible for the Champions League until the knockout stages.
Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol, John Stones, Savinho and Oscar Bobb remain sidelined with injuries.
