Erling Haaland has launched a scathing assessment of Manchester City's season, describing it as "boring and not fun" and claiming that neither he nor his teammates have been good enough. The Norwegian striker’s comments come just days before City face Manchester United in the FA Cup final.
City currently sit fourth in the Premier League, with Champions League qualification not yet assured. They have lost nine league matches this term, a stark contrast to the treble-winning campaign of Haaland’s first season and last year’s league title triumph. A mid-season run of one win in nine games effectively ended their title hopes.
Speaking to BBC Sport, Haaland said: "This season has been tough. It is not nice to lose so many games. It is boring and not fun. That's why we need to finish well and get a trophy." He added: "When you have won four league titles in a row, if you don't win five it's not going to be a successful season. Those are the standards we have set."
Haaland acknowledged injuries to key players such as Rodri but refused to use them as an excuse. "Every single one of us hasn't been good enough and we haven't been at our best," he said. The striker’s own form has dipped after a blistering start, scoring 10 goals in his first five matches but only 11 in his next 23.
Despite their league struggles, City can still salvage the season by winning the FA Cup. Haaland stressed the importance of the final: "It is a good habit to reach Wembley and always important to win trophies. We have the FA Cup final to play for and in a horrific season we still managed to do this."
