Aston Villa 1-0 Manchester City: Erling Haaland failed to score while Pep Guardiola demands “escalation”

Haaland is currently running away with the Premier League Golden Boot with 11 goals, and City’s reliance on him has been such that the team’s next top scorer doesn’t even play for them.

Two goals by unlucky Frenchman Maxime Esteve at the Etihad Stadium for Burnley puts them next on the list, with Tijani Reynders, Phil Foden, Matheus Nunes and Rayyan Chergui each contributing one goal.

Coach Guardiola asked his wingers and midfielders to move but they failed to do so, and it proved costly, with what could have been a devastating defeat in May.

Haaland had opportunities against Villa but failed to capitalize on them. He missed a golden opportunity immediately after his team fell behind. He ran across the ball and fired a low shot that was blocked by Emiliano Martinez.

The Argentine goalkeeper knocked another Haaland header out of the air in the second half and when he was beaten just before the end, the offside flag came to his rescue.

Haaland hit the post hard in the aftermath, falling into the tunnel with his head bowed the whole time, and Guardiola said he had not spoken to his player, but “we hope he’s fine.”

With 15 goals scored so far and 34 goals scored in an injury-riddled season last season, City cannot begin to bear the thought of being without their main man at any point this season.

Villa coach Emery said: “We tried, tactically and individually, to match him, intelligently, with the strength we showed.

“Then we got some help from the defensive cover as well as the goalkeeper. We needed everything to stop him.”

City’s injury crisis saw Guardiola enter the transfer market in January by signing four players, bringing in six more over the summer, but only goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and Reynders have started for Villa.

Strikers Omar Marmoush and Al Sharqi were brought on from the bench in the second half after recovering from injuries, and the two now need to intensify their efforts to ease the burden on Haaland’s shoulders.

City’s next league match will be held at home against brilliant Bournemouth next Sunday, and Guardiola will make a decision on whether or not to include them in that important confrontation.