Manchester City were defeated by Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final at the weekend.
The contest was a thrilling affair and had a storybook ending for the neutrals, however, it was a big blow to Pep Guardiola’s squad as it was their last chance to win a major trophy this season, and it remains to be seen how it affects their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League.
The contest had many talking points, with Mark Clattenburg believing Dean Henderson should have been sent off after denying Erling Haaland a goalscoring opportunity.
Another came shortly after that, as Omar Marmoush missed a penalty for Man City and speaking about this, Ian Wright had some criticism for one star in the Manchester club’s squad.
Photo by Kevin Hodgson | MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Photo by Kevin Hodgson | MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Ian Wright questions Erling Haaland for giving up FA Cup final penalty
Haaland has been a huge hit among Man City fans since moving to the Etihad Stadium from Borussia Dortmund as part of a £51m deal in 2022, as the Norwegian star is a goalscoring machine.
However, Saturday was a low point for the 24-year-old as he struggled to have an impact on the FA Cup final, and Alan Shearer was critical of Haaland after he turned down the chance to take the crucial penalty in the first half to bring his team back level with Crystal Palace.
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Wright shares the view of Shearer and has questioned why the Norwegian did not step up, stating that he would have never done that during his career.
“No, I’m not giving that to nobody. And I think we’re talking about Erling Haaland. You know, I mean, you’re talking about your soul,” Wright said on Wrighty’s House. “That’s your go-to guy. How many golden boots? This man is scoring goals even when he’s sleeping, and they count, right?
“So why are you not taking that penalty? I know you’ve missed a couple. So what? You should be taking that penalty. You’re the number nine. You’re the main guy to say, right, let me take this penalty.
Wright continued by saying: “Get this game going. Get us back in the game and bam. I did not fancy Marmoush. And it’s the same with Joleon Lescott. Joleon Lescott said, ‘You know something? I’m not sure’.
“It wasn’t a great penalty. Yeah, it was a massive moment for him because, like, especially he’s coming to this season, halfway through, he’s come from a transitional side to a very possessional, heavy side.”
Haaland was only coming back from an injury, which may have played a role in his decision, but either way, the striker was on the pitch, so he should have taken the spot-kick.
The criticism of the 24-year-old did not stop with Shearer and Wright, as Wayne Rooney stated at the weekend that Haaland showed he is not like Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe.
Photo by Michael Regan - The FA/The FA via Getty Images
Photo by Michael Regan – The FA/The FA via Getty Images
Wayne Rooney says Erling Haaland is not like Kylian Mbappe
Haaland has hinted that he wants to remain at Man City long term, and during that time, fans of the Manchester club will only see the striker get better.
Rooney gave the Norwegian some advice on Saturday, with the former Man United star stating that the City star needs to be hungrier for goals.
“Erling Haaland is a world-class forward, but when we’re talking about Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, there’s no way they’re giving that ball away,” Rooney said on BBC One via ESPN.
“That’s what separates them two players from Erling Haaland or Kylian Mbappe and these players. They are selfish, and they want to score every game.
“When he [Haaland] misses chances, I think you can see it gets to him, and it does affect him. Maybe the thought of taking a penalty at Wembley might have been too much for him. You never know; he’s a human being.”