Audio By Carbonatix
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says he spoke to Erling Haaland during the summer about "some things" he "didn't like" - but urged the striker to keep "pressing like an animal".
Haaland has been the Premier League's top scorer in his first two seasons with City, with 36 league goals as they won the Treble in 2022-23.
The Norwegian scored 27 times in the top flight last season as City won an unprecedented fourth straight league title - a goals return Guardiola said was "fine".
Asked what he discussed with Haaland over the summer, Guardiola said: "I like when he runs a lot. I like when he presses like an animal. I like it. It helps to score a goal.
"When you are connected defensively, you are connected offensively.
"His body language - imagine a central defender has the ball and he makes a sprint with this body and legs moving. It's scary."
Guardiola said Haaland closing down opponents means "the people in the middle and back [can] support him. And we are more effective in our high pressing".
The manager added: "This is not negotiable. If you don't score a goal, it's fine. But you need to do it."
Haaland has made a positive start to the new season. The 24-year-old scored his 10th hat-trick for City during Saturday's 4-1 win over Ipswich, giving him four goals from two games.
"He feels good," said Guardiola. "Last season always he had problems in the hips, in the ankles, in the knee.
"This season of course he takes care of himself with the physios really well, but I had the feeling that he is sharper.
"After training sessions he stays longer to practise the crosses and controls. Last season it never happened because he was not perfect.
"With his body, he has to be perfect to perform at that level.
"That's why you have an incredible organisation to help the players to be as comfortable to perform at their best."
Latest Stories
-
‘Where is the presumption of innocence?’ – Tuah-Yeboah on Partey visa refusal
5 minutes -
GFA President and Ambassador Smith meet top police command in Providence ahead of Ghana’s World Cup opener
22 minutes -
Nothing stops OSP from pursuing Ghana case despite Ofori-Atta’s permanent residency request – Tuah-Yeboah
25 minutes -
Thousands of Ghanaian pupils attend schools near toxic sites, study finds
25 minutes -
Say no to single life
35 minutes -
Accra Institute of Technology matriculates students for 2025/2026 academic year
40 minutes -
Foresters demand arrest and prosecution after violent attack on Babatokuma Forestry Commission checkpoint
43 minutes -
GoldBod, Armed Forces and Forestry Commission launch national land reclamation project
43 minutes -
Ghana Boundary Commission launches African Border Day activities with water project in Bawku West
52 minutes -
Mfantsiman Old Girls’ Association to hold nationwide health walk on June 27
53 minutes -
Ghana, Burkina Faso launch fresh push to reaffirm shared border
1 hour -
Ghana urged to use data science, AI to solve Ghana’s perennial flooding problem
1 hour -
Musk’s SpaceX buys AI coding start-up for $60bn days after IPO
1 hour -
Sandy Asare celebrates God’s grace in new single ‘Ɛyɛ Awurade’
1 hour -
Kennedy Agyapong chides NPP for failing to complete Afari Military Hospital after eight years in office
1 hour