Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Erling Haaland, Manchester City, Premier League, Football, Pep Guardiola
Ben McCrum
Topics: Erling Haaland, Manchester City, Premier League, Football, Pep Guardiola
Erling Haaland has reacted to the main tactic that his Premier League rivals have been using to counter him.
We are now just under a third of the way into the 2025/26 Premier League season, and there's been one player who has stood out among the rest.
After just 10 games, Manchester City star Haaland has scored 13 goals and assisted one, comfortably placing him on top of the race for the Premier League golden boot.
The Norwegian's recent performances have been so impressive that many have said that he could lead City to the title this season, despite the disappointing performances of many of his teammates.
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Of course, many Premier League sides have therefore targeted Haaland with a specific tactic to neutralise his attacking threat, but the City striker clearly isn't impressed by it.
So far this season, Haaland has scored against all but two of City's Premier League opponents, with Brighton and Tottenham Hotspur the only teams to keep him at bay.
Therefore, it's clear that teams trying to stop Haaland from scoring against them by playing an offside trip
On a post on social media, one fan wrote: "Offside trap vs Haaland has literally never worked, come on man."
And it's clear that Haaland agrees with this claim, as an eagle-eyed fan on social media noticed that the City striker had liked the post, showing that he is at least aware of the theory.
So far in his four years playing for City, Haaland has been caught offside just just 18 times in the Premier League, with none of those occasions being this season.
Meanwhile in the Champions League this season, Haaland has four goals in three appearances, keeping him in contention for the golden boot in a second competition.
Despite this, the Norwegian remained humble when asked to respond to manager Pep Guardiola's comments praising the 25-year-old for his attitude.
“It’s difficult to find a real world-class player who is incredibly humble and thinking what is best for the team," Guardiola said.
“I know he wants to score goals, but I have the feeling he always wants what is best for the team, and that is difficult to find."
Replying to Guardiola, Haaland said: "Not for me, it is completely normal. I am a Norwegian guy and I shouldn't think I am something because I am scoring goals. I am just Erling and this is something that will never change."