Advertisement

Pep Guardiola warns Erling Haaland critics he will 'shut your mouth' after sending Man City second

Pep Guardiola warns Erling Haaland critics he will 'shut your mouth' after sending Man City second

Pep Guardiola warned Erling Haaland’s critics “he will shut your mouth” after his goal against Brentford moved Manchester City into second place.

After missing a host of chances against Chelsea last weekend, Haaland scored a 71st-minute winner as City won 1-0 to climb above Arsenal and to within a point of leaders Liverpool.

Haaland’s grandmother died days before the Chelsea game and Guardiola praised the striker for delivering after an “incredibly tough week”.

“With top strikers who score a lot of goals, don’t criticise, because he will shut your mouth, that’s for sure”, said Guardiola.

“Sooner or later, he is there. Definitely, if I have to choose one [player to run through on goal], I choose this one.

“He was out with injury for two months and is not in his best shape and just had an incredibly tough week because he lost his grandmother. That is not easy for a human being.”

Brentford had frustrated City until Haaland struck and Guardiola said: “They are such a difficult team.

“Last season we lost all six points, this season we won the six points. But it is incredibly difficult, they are incredibly organised.

“We played a really good game and had a lot of chances considering how difficult it is against them. We come to the toughest period of the season now.”