‘He puts a lot of responsibility on himself’ - Guardiola reveals advice he gave Haaland after ending goal drought

Haaland converted a crucial stoppage-time penalty to secure a dramatic comeback victory for Manchester City against Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday. 

However, that goal was his first in eight Premier League matches that did not come from open play.

Despite his recent struggles, the prolific forward has already scored 21 goals this season and remains on course to claim his third Golden Boot in four years. Still, Haaland himself insisted he must improve following the win over Liverpool.

Guardiola, who recently hailed Haaland as the world's best striker, believes the key is for his player to relax.

"The problem with Erling is that he has to deal with his own numbers and expectations," Guardiola explained. 

"That is the challenge for him. He puts a lot of responsibility on himself.""I always say to him not to put too much pressure on himself. 

“Rely on his instincts, on his movements, anticipate the actions that his gut does better than anyone else in the world."

The manager noted that while Haaland remains calm, he internalises the pressure to perform. "He knows how much we need him; he doesn't want to leave the team disappointed.

“That is a big attribute," Guardiola said. "I would prefer that to somebody who doesn't care. He's completely the opposite; he suffers when he doesn't score a goal. Don't suffer, you do your best."

Guardiola observed that Haaland had "fire in his eyes" before taking the penalty on Sunday, and his passionate celebration suggested a release of frustration after an uncharacteristically lean spell.