Enzo Maresca has warned that Manchester City cannot depend solely on Erling Haaland for goals after the striker drew a blank in their 1-0 defeat to Brighton.
Haaland has scored 13 times in all competitions this season, but the loss at the Amex Stadium knocked City off the top of the Premier League. Speaking ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League clash with RB Leipzig, Maresca stressed the need for greater contributions from the rest of the team.
“It’s very important that in each game, we create chances,” the City manager said. “For sure, when you have Erling inside the pitch, it’s better because he’s going to score goals, or you know he’s always there close. At the same time, we cannot rely on Erling for every game. We need also the rest to score goals.
“The last game against Brighton was the only game of the season where we didn’t score. But, for sure, if Erling is on the pitch we are happy.”
City have made a solid start in the Champions League, bouncing back from a defeat to holders Paris Saint-Germain with wins over Porto and AEK Athens. Phil Foden was particularly impressive against the Greek side, scoring a hat-trick in a strong individual display.
The midfielder, who was left out of England’s World Cup squad last summer and served a domestic suspension earlier this season, said a recent break had helped him return fresher. “I’ve been involved in a lot of goals lately and I’ve been really happy with my own performance,” Foden said. “Hopefully I can get back to that level. I think I’m starting to get back there now.”
Despite his improved form, Foden has been on the bench for City’s last two Premier League matches. Maresca explained the decision by pointing to the depth of his squad and the long season ahead.
“We are in all competitions and we have 20 senior players — all of them very good — so there’s competition between them,” he said. “It’s not a short run, it’s not a sprint. It’s a marathon. It’s very important to win games, but it’s also very important to arrive in February, March, April with all of them available and fit.”