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    Haaland’s “forgetfulness” key to his greatness, says Pep

    Premier League
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    Pep Guardiola praised Erling Haaland’s remarkable ability to bounce back from missed opportunities and swiftly capitalize on scoring chances, defining him as a great player following Manchester City’s 3-1 victory over Manchester United. Despite initially squandering multiple opportunities, Haaland eventually found the back of the net, contributing to City’s crucial win at the Etihad Stadium ahead of their upcoming clash with Premier League leaders Liverpool.

    Manchester United 0-3 Manchester City: Erling Haaland strikes twice as champions ease to victory at Old Trafford - EurosportPrior to Phil Foden’s goals, Haaland had notably missed clear-cut chances, including a volley over the crossbar when presented with an open goal in the first half. However, Guardiola emphasized Haaland’s resilience and goal-scoring prowess, highlighting his unmatched ability to quickly move past missed chances and capitalize on subsequent opportunities.

    With Haaland leading the race for the Premier League Golden Boot with 18 goals this season, Guardiola underscored the forward’s exceptional scoring ability, exemplified by his capacity to shrug off missed opportunities and make a significant impact on the game.

    Manchester City: Erling Haaland numbers are 'still off the scale' - BBC Sport“The great, great players I met, I was lucky to manage many of them, they forget [missed chances] in an instant,” Guardiola said. “They forget as quick as possible.

    “Footballers, basketball players. They miss. They just smile and get on with it and he [Haaland] did it. He has an incredible ability to forget. That defines the great players.”

    Phil Foden xứng đáng được ca ngợi nhiều hơn | CHUYÊN TRANG THỂ THAOFoden’s double strike, after scoring a hat trick against United at the Etihad last season, extended his run of form against City’s neighbours.

    And Guardiola said the 23-year-old is now showing himself to be the best player in the Premier League.

    “What can I say? He is the best player in the Premier League right now for the amount of things he does. Unbelievable,” Guardiola said. “He is right now the best so far.

    “I always had the feeling he would score goals, but now he is winning games. He’s a world class player. He lives for football, but now he is winning games.

    “He played false nine at Bournemouth and now today. Rashford scored an incredible goal, but Foden was incredible too.

    “It is the amount of games he is playing. He was always a talented player but now he is more mature and understands more the game, especially defensively. He can play middle, right, make moments and cut inside, play in the left, scoring from the left.”

    Liverpool grab 1-1 draw with Manchester City in top-of-the-table clash | Reuters

    With Manchester City set to face Liverpool at Anfield next Sunday, trailing Jurgen Klopp’s side by just one point at the top of the table, the upcoming clash holds immense significance in the tightly contested title race. Meanwhile, third-placed Arsenal has the opportunity to close the gap on City by securing a victory against bottom club Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Monday.
    Speaking about the intense competition for the title, Pep Guardiola emphasized that Manchester City holds their destiny in their own hands. Guardiola’s statement underscores the importance of City’s performance and determination in determining their fate in the ongoing Premier League season.

    “It is about us,” he said. “We can’t control what Liverpool or Arsenal, Aston Villa or other contenders do, it is about us. We do what we have to do to win today, next Wednesday and Sunday. This team is legendary.

    “Will we do it? I don’t know. We have today more points at this stage than last season.

    “The difference is Liverpool have I don’t know how many more points than this stage last season. When the opponent is behaving like this, what can I say, congratulations so far. We will continue to try game by game.”

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