Pep Guardiola said Erling Haaland’s response to an awful miss in the first half of Manchester City’s 3-1 win over Manchester United on Sunday showed the mental strength of a sporting great.
The Norwegian somehow managed to spoon the ball over the bar with the goal gaping from Phil Foden’s header across goal when United still led through Marcus Rashford’s stunning strike.
Foden spared his teammate’s blushes by scoring twice to turn the match around before Haaland made amends by scoring his 28th goal of the season in stoppage time.
Haaland seemed to have hit top form when he scored five times in a 6-2 FA Cup rout at Luton in midweek.
Guardiola’s ashen-faced reaction to his miss was in keeping with a collective screech of disbelief around the Etihad.
“That might be the worst miss I’ve ever seen at this level,” former England striker Gary Lineker posted on X. “@ErlingHaaland has to head it. Incredible.”
But Guardiola said Haaland’s reaction was in keeping with what he has seen from top sports stars.
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“The great players I met have this incredible ability to forget in an instant,” said Guardiola.
“It’s painful, yes, but (he) had to forget it as quick as possible.
“The best basketball players, golfers, tennis players, they miss, everyone misses. Ok, smile, positive and go for the next and that defines the great players.”
Victory kept City on the tail of Liverpool at the top of the Premier League, just one point behind the Reds ahead of a clash between the two at Anfield next weekend.
‘SMALL MARGINS’
United have not been involved in a title race since Alex Ferguson’s departure as manager in 2013 and an 11th league defeat of the season turns up the spotlight on Erik ten Hag.
Rashford’s goal was the visitors’ only shot on target as they managed barely 25 per cent of possession.
