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Football Insider

Pep Guardiola's Encouraging Words to Erling Haaland After Manchester City's Victory Over Leeds

Man City secured a 3-2 victory over Leeds United, with Phil Foden scoring a late winner. Following the match, Pep Guardiola revealed his conversation with Erling Haaland after a tense exchange, where he encouraged the striker and emphasized the importance of rest.

Pep Guardiola's Encouraging Words to Erling Haaland After Manchester City's Victory Over Leeds

Pep Guardiola has revealed what he said to Erling Haaland after the pair were involved in a heated exchange following Manchester City’s 3-2 victory over Leeds United on Saturday afternoon. The Norway international was made to wait for his landmark 100th Premier League goal as the 10-time champions secured all three points at the Etihad Stadium.Looking to return to form following successive defeats against Newcastle United and Bayer Leverkusen in the Premier League and Champions League respectively, City secured a big victory over Daniel Farke’s Leeds. Leading 2-0 thanks to goals from Phil Foden and Josko Gvardiol, City were pegged back following strikes from Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha.However, in the first minute of additional time in the second half, midfielder Foden scored his second and City’s winner as he dribbled his way into space before firing the ball beyond Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri. The result saw Guardiola’s side move up to the second in the league table and just four points behind leaders Arsenal, who lock horns with third-placed Chelsea on Sunday afternoon.In what proved to be a frustrating outing for Haaland, the striker was unable to add to his remarkable goal tally in 2025-26. Despite playing the full 90 minutes, the 25-year-old - the league’s top scorer with 14 goals in just 13 games - failed to find the back of the net against strugglers Leeds, whom his father, Alf Inge Haaland, played for between 1997 and 2000.Disappointed after his bid to become the fastest player to score 100 Premier League goals was prolonged, Haaland was then involved in a tense discussion with Guardiola after the final whistle. After appearing to get his point across, the former Borussia Dortmund attacker then tried to walk away before being hugged twice by the City manager, who was equally keen to express his feelings. Both Haaland and Guardiola had smiles on their faces after their chat eventually came to an end.Looking for smarter football bets? Get expert previews, data-driven predictions & winning insights with GOAL Tips on Telegram. Join our growing community now!And Guardiola has now revealed what he said to Haaland after the game. Lifting the lid on the episode, the ex-Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss told BBC Sport: “He’ll do it [get his 100th goal] next game.“Just we talk about rest. He has a huge body. Minutes, minutes, in that moment you’re fresh. “Rest [is] not just the legs [pointing to his head]. It’s not like Phil or Jeremy [Doku], they can rest. Erling is a big man. We need him so much.”Meanwhile, Haaland took to Instagram following City’s late win over Leeds, simply writing: “Not easy today but we never give up!”Admitting he was “relieved” after Foden popped up with City’s winner in the final stages of a tightly-contested affair with Leeds, Guardiola felt his side should have put the game to bed a lot earlier than they did.In his post-match press conference, the Catalan said: “The game was not in the perfect place in the first half, but it should be over for the chances we have and we didn’t concede. And after that brilliantly, Daniel changed the system like Leverkusen did, the 5-3-2 and we conceded a goal we gave away in the first minutes [of the second half].“The build-up was completely different, and the shape takes influence in the way you play. Football is emotions and in that moment we concede the second. We made a step up and we reacted really well. Omar and Cherki came on, and we got more players in the box.“In the last minute we had to put the ball quick to the box because in that moment the process doesn’t exist. Being with fullbacks or wingers it doesn’t matter. At the end it was the quality of Phil again, a player with special [talent].”City are back in action when they travel to Fulham in the league on Tuesday, before they entertain high-flying Sunderland next Saturday. Guardiola’s charges then head to Real Madrid for a mouth-watering Champions League tie on 10 December.

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Guardiola's Post-Match Revelation

Pep Guardiola disclosed the details of his conversation with Erling Haaland after Manchester City's win over Leeds. He reassured the striker that he will reach his milestone of 100 Premier League goals in the next game, emphasizing the importance of rest for a player with a physique like Haaland's.

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Haaland's Disappointment and Response

Despite a frustrating outing where he failed to score his 100th Premier League goal, Erling Haaland expressed his determination post-match, stating, 'Not easy today but we never give up!' The striker's eagerness to bounce back was evident after the game.

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Guardiola's Analysis of the Match

Guardiola reflected on the match, acknowledging that City should have been more clinical in front of goal to secure the win comfortably. He highlighted the tactical adjustments made by Leeds and praised the impact of substitute players Omar and Cherki.

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Upcoming Fixtures for Manchester City

Manchester City faces upcoming league matches against Fulham and Sunderland, followed by a crucial Champions League clash with Real Madrid. Guardiola's side will look to maintain their momentum and secure positive results in the upcoming fixtures.

Published on Nov 30, 2025