Manchester City’s manager, Pep Guardiola, was captured passionately addressing Erling Haaland during their recent victory against Burnley. Football legend Alan Shearer shared his perspective on how he would have handled the situation differently if he were on the field.
Shearer emphasized that he wouldn’t have responded positively if a manager, like Pep Guardiola, had acted similarly on the field. Despite City’s 3-0 win over Burnley, where Haaland scored twice in the first half, Guardiola’s displeasure with the striker was evident through an intense half-time exchange.
During his analysis on Match of the Day, Shearer expressed respect for Guardiola’s pursuit of perfection but disagreed with the public nature of his criticism. The former England striker highlighted his traditional approach, suggesting that such matters should be discussed privately.
Shearer commented: “I’m old school. I admire his drive and quest for perfection. If Guardiola didn’t want his actions seen on camera, he should have waited for the dressing room. I wouldn’t have appreciated that approach. I would have addressed him with two words, and one of them would have been ‘off.’ Express your opinions in the dressing room, give me constructive criticism, but not in front of the audience like that. No.”
The incident did not derail City’s performance, as they managed to score a third goal through Rodri in the second half. Their upcoming fixture is against Sevilla, the Europa League champions, in the Super Cup, followed by a Premier League match against Newcastle on Saturday.
Haaland shared his perspective on the incident, stating: “I continue to learn and develop, working alongside Pep is truly a privilege. Despite my frustration during that moment, it was due to the preceding play where I expected the ball. Bernardo [Silva] chose not to pass it, which led to his reaction. It’s a positive start for our opening game.”
Guardiola also provided insights into the situation after the match, saying: “Erling constantly seeks the ball, he prefers passes in behind. During that instance, he desired the ball, but Bernardo [Silva] made the correct choice not to pass. Considering he scored two goals, I believe he’s content.”
During the same weekend, Alexander Isak also secured a brace for Newcastle, contributing to their 5-1 victory against Aston Villa. Newcastle currently tops the table based on goal difference, with three matches remaining in the opening weekend.
Last season, City’s prominent striker also netted a double in the team’s opener against West Ham, concluding the season with a record-breaking 36 league goals in the Premier League. Achieving even greater heights is his goal for the upcoming season.
