LB9 Football : Can Man City Win the Premier League Without Overrelying on Erling Haaland?

For months, Manchester City’s game plan has been simple — find Erling Haaland, and the goals will come. But Aston Villa just shattered that illusion. In a clinical display, Unai Emery’s men became the first side in nine games to shut out Pep Guardiola’s champions, halting Haaland’s incredible streak of 12 consecutive scoring appearances for club and country.

Villa’s approach was straightforward but brilliantly executed: cut off Haaland’s supply line, frustrate him in the box, and force City to look elsewhere for inspiration. And it worked. The Norwegian striker had his chances — a one-on-one that was smothered by Emiliano Martínez and a late header straight at the keeper — but his usual ruthless edge deserted him. Even his injury-time strike was chalked off for a marginal offside call.

This performance exposed a growing issue at the Etihad: City’s overdependence on their No. 9. When Haaland is quiet, so are City. The system that once looked unstoppable now appears one-dimensional. Unless Guardiola finds a new spark or tactical variation, their dream of reclaiming the Premier League crown could quickly fade away.

“Just put the ball in the net.”

That was Pep Guardiola’s blunt summary after Manchester City’s frustrating loss. The boss insisted his side played well but lacked the killer touch:

“It was just the finishing. Put the ball in the net. We made a more than good game, we were impressive. We played against a very good team. Sixteen shots — not bad. The spirit was really, really good. We just missed the final action: shoot better, cross better.”

But credit where it’s due — Aston Villa executed their game plan perfectly. Unai Emery revealed his side “needed everything to stop Haaland,” and it showed. The Spaniard bolstered midfield height by pairing Amadou Onana with Boubacar Kamara, while Ezri Konsa and Pau Torres stuck to Haaland like glue, limiting him to just four touches inside the box.

It’s a tactic plenty have tried, but rarely with this level of success. Normally, City’s supporting cast — De Bruyne, Foden, Alvarez — step up to punish the space created. This time, no one did. Villa didn’t just stop Haaland; they stopped Manchester City.

The numbers tell a different story

Pep Guardiola’s post-match assessment doesn’t quite hold up under scrutiny. Yes, City had 18 shots — but half of them were smothered by Villa’s resilient defence before they even reached the goal. Of the nine that did, three came from Erling Haaland, all of which forced saves from Emiliano Martinez.

Meanwhile, Josko Gvardiol and Tijjani Reijnders both fired wide twice, Matheus Nunes missed with his lone effort, and only Savinho managed to test the keeper besides Haaland. Key creative forces like Bernardo Silva, Oscar Bobb, and even substitute Jeremy Doku failed to register a single shot.

So if Guardiola’s diagnosis is simply “we didn’t finish,” then only Haaland and Savinho deserve that criticism — which hardly seems fair. The real issue? City’s overreliance on their No.9. The goals have dried up elsewhere, and unless others shoulder the responsibility, Guardiola’s side will keep struggling against well-drilled defences.

No backup for Haaland

Manchester City’s overdependence on Erling Haaland didn’t start with the Villa defeat — it’s been brewing for weeks. When Bernardo Silva finally found the net against Villarreal in the Champions League, he broke a streak of eight straight goals scored solely by Haaland.

In the Premier League, the numbers look even worse. The last non-Haaland “City” goal came courtesy of Burnley’s Maxime Esteve — and that was an own goal a month ago. In fact, Esteve remains City’s second-highest league scorer behind Haaland, a stat that’s as embarrassing as it is revealing.

While Haaland sits atop the scoring charts with 11 goals, only four of his teammates — Phil Foden, Rayan Cherki, Tijjani Reijnders, and Matheus Nunes — have managed to score at all. Star wingers Savinho and Jeremy Doku, meanwhile, have yet to find the back of the net.

Even in Europe, the story’s the same: only Foden and Doku have joined Haaland on the scoresheet in City’s three Champions League matches. The supporting cast simply isn’t pulling its weight — and that could cost them their Premier League crown.

A Fading Echo of the Treble-Winning Side

Erling Haaland outscoring the rest of the Manchester City squad is nothing new — but it’s never been this extreme. During his record-shattering debut season, the Norwegian hit 36 Premier League goals and 52 in all competitions. Yet, crucially, he wasn’t carrying the team alone. City’s historic treble run was powered by a collective force, not a one-man show.

Back then, six other players netted at least five league goals. Phil Foden bagged 11, Julian Alvarez struck nine, Ilkay Gundogan added eight, and Kevin De Bruyne chipped in with seven alongside his usual flurry of assists. Even when Haaland failed to score in the FA Cup and Champions League finals, City still triumphed — Gundogan and Rodri stepped up when it mattered most.

Fast forward to the next campaign, and City’s balance in attack remained intact. Haaland’s 28 league goals secured him another Golden Boot, but he had genuine support: Foden fired home 19, Alvarez 11, and Rodri added eight from midfield. Back then, opponents faced a nightmare — even if they stopped Haaland, there was always someone else ready to punish them.

Now, that once-lethal harmony looks like a distant memory.

City’s Growing Overreliance on Haaland

Manchester City’s attack has become dangerously one-dimensional. Over the past two seasons, their dependence on Erling Haaland has only deepened — and it’s starting to cost them. Last season, when City failed to win a major trophy for the first time in eight years, Haaland led the way with 22 Premier League goals. Behind him? Phil Foden and Omar Marmoush, both managing just seven.

By contrast, Liverpool’s attacking spread looked far healthier. While Mohamed Salah delivered 27 league goals, Luis Díaz chipped in with 13 and Cody Gakpo added 10 — proof that spreading the load makes a team far harder to contain.

This season, City’s imbalance is even starker. The gulf between Haaland and the rest of the squad has widened, and it’s showing in their results. After nine games last term, City were top of the table, unbeaten, and had dropped only four points. Now, they’ve already lost three times, dropped 11 points, and sit fifth — level with a resurgent Manchester United and six points adrift of league leaders Arsenal.

The numbers don’t lie: City’s title hopes are fading under the weight of their Haaland dependency.

Searching for Balance

Pep Guardiola has never been one to panic — and he’s not about to start now. After the loss to Aston Villa, the Manchester City boss reminded everyone that the Premier League season is a marathon, not a sprint. “From my experience, it’s so long. So long,” he said, insisting his focus isn’t on the table but on keeping his squad “alive” and “good.”

He’s right that City have overturned bigger gaps before. A six-point deficit to Arsenal is far from fatal. But this version of City feels different — more fragile, more predictable, and far too dependent on Erling Haaland.

To reclaim their crown, Guardiola must rediscover the balance that once made his side unstoppable. Relying solely on Haaland’s brilliance has turned City into the very thing Guardiola once mocked — a one-man team. Unless others start carrying the weight, “The Erling Haaland Team” might soon end up sharing Tottenham’s trophy tally: zero.

👉 Meanwhile, for a fresh perspective on a club that is delivering, check out our deep dive into Manchester United under Rúben Amorim and why they could be the surprise title challengers this season: 6 Reasons Why Manchester United Are Emerging as Surprise Premier League Challengers 🔍 Also, don’t miss our analysis of the defending champions — can Liverpool retain the crown? Explore the odds and underlying challenges here: 2025/26 EPL Title Odds — Can Liverpool Defend Their Crown?

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