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Manchester City must simply continue to “keep pushing” beyond life with Pep Guardiola, insists Erling Haaland during his latest comments this week.
The Norwegian striker has enjoyed the most prolific period of his career under the guidance of Pep Guardiola, forming a partnership that has redefined expectations at the Etihad Stadium and secured the greatest triumphs in the club’s history.
Since arriving from Borussia Dortmund in 2022, Haaland has spearheaded an era of sustained dominance, playing a central role in multiple Premier League triumphs and the club’s long-awaited UEFA Champions League success.
Haaland’s debut season saw him shatter the Premier League’s single-campaign scoring record with 36 goals to his name, silencing early doubters over whether his direct, explosive style would suit Pep Guardiola’s intricate positional system.
In the years since, the 25-year-old has evolved beyond a traditional penalty-box striker, increasingly dropping deeper, linking play, and contributing creatively – developments that have underlined both his own dedication and the meticulous coaching environment at City.
Speaking to TNT Sports on the latest episode of The Breakdown, Erling Haaland credited his good form and prolonged extent of goalscoring at Manchester City to the quality of people both alongside him in his personal life, and those within the football club.
“When I’m talking about good people around me, it’s not just my friends and people around me here, but it’s also people in the club,” said Haaland. “And I’m lucky to be in a club with so many good people, and with Pep [Guardiola] – who pushes us every single day.”
Continuing on the subject of the Catalan coach in particular, Erling Haaland insisted how lucky he has been to work alongside the 55-year-old, but insisted that life beyond the former Barcelona man must continue to see the club and its players “pushing” for more success.
“I’ve been lucky to work with Pep for now three-and-a-half years, it’s been an amazing time as we all know,” said the Norway international. “And no matter what happens in the future we still need to keep on pushing, I still need to push myself and others around me to get better.”
Erling Haaland’s remarks come amid ongoing discussion surrounding Pep Guardiola’s long-term future, with the manager’s current deal entering its final phase and speculation mounting over what the next chapter may look like.
For the striker, however, the message is clear in that standards within the Etihad Stadium must not slip, regardless of who occupies the dugout. And that mentality has become a hallmark of this existing Manchester City side.
Even during occasional short-term goal droughts this season, Pep Guardiola has publicly defended his No.9, praising his expanded all-round contribution and leadership within the dressing room.
Erling Haaland, now firmly embedded among the senior figures at the club and named among the first-team’s captaincy group, appears ready to shoulder even greater responsibility if and when a managerial transition arrives.