Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has downplayed a tense post-match interaction with Erling Haaland following City’s 3-2 victory over Leeds United on Saturday, describing it as a discussion about rest rather than a disagreement.
City secured a crucial Premier League win after a challenging week, bouncing back from defeats to Newcastle United and Bayer Leverkusen.
Haaland Frustrated as Milestone Goal Slips Away
Phil Foden and Josko Gvardiol had put City 2-0 ahead before Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha leveled the score for Leeds. Foden ultimately secured the win with a stoppage-time strike.
It was a subdued afternoon for Haaland, who missed the chance to score his 100th Premier League goal. The striker appeared frustrated and exchanged heated words with Guardiola after full-time, before the manager offered two conciliatory hugs.
Guardiola: “We Talked About Rest”
Commenting on the exchange, Guardiola explained that the conversation focused on managing Haaland’s workload.
“He’ll get the 100th goal next game,” Guardiola told BBC Sport. “We talked about rest. He has a huge body. Rest isn’t just for the legs, it’s also for the head. We need him fresh.”
Haaland later posted on Instagram: “Not easy today, but we never give up!”
Manager Relieved After Late Foden Winner
Guardiola acknowledged that the match should have been settled earlier.
“In the first half, the game should have been over with the chances we had,” he said. “Their system change caused problems, we conceded twice, but we reacted well.”
What’s Next for Manchester City
City will face Fulham away on Tuesday, host Sunderland next Saturday, and then travel to the Bernabéu for a high-profile Champions League tie against Real Madrid on December 10.
Source: gistreel
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