Man City's feathers were well and truly ruffled despite Newcastle losing the game at the Etihad Stadium
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola and Erling Haaland celebrate after the 2-1 win over Newcastle United
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola and Erling Haaland celebrate after the 2-1 win over Newcastle(Image: Visionhaus/Getty Images)
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Newcastle United forced Erling Haaland to drop back and become a defender in the narrow 2-1 defeat at the Etihad Stadium - according to Pep Guardiola.
Haaland was involved in helping clear the lines after Newcastle's late bombardment with both substitute Joelinton and Dan Burn sent up to contest for aerial balls. Haaland was left fuming after a coming together between Blyth battler Burn and himself.
Guardiola said: "I prefer it if we don’t have to defend, but when it’s long balls, Erling is a striker who has to work as a central defender,
"With Burn and Joelinton at the end of the game and all the players in behind, he had to help us.
"I’m not a big fan of getting Erling to defend, but he helped us. I know afterwards how the people hugged him and celebrated with him and paid gratitude that he helped us because Newcastle made us do that."
Newcastle, though, managed to keep Haaland off the scoresheet during an intense battle leading Guardiola to say: "I am only sad for him because there were actions where we could make the last pass to him and we couldn’t find him.
"It’s difficult for him to run, run, run and fight and then not get the final ball to score goals. But sometimes the game is like that.
"He’s an incredibly generous player. Today is a performance I will never forget after what Erling has done for us."
Dan Burn of Newcastle United and Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola
Dan Burn of Newcastle and Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola(Image: Visionhaus/Getty Images)
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Haaland took to X after the game to post a picture of Burn pulling his shirt with a caption: "Another day in the office".
However, Newcastle were angered by the fact that referee Thomas Bramall and the VAR team did not punish City after Malick Thiaw was caught in the face by Haaland with the his arm but the officials deemed the incident as the striker "not using his arm as a weapon".
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