Haaland’s Goal Drought Sparks Debate at Manchester City

Erling Haaland’s name has become synonymous with goals since he arrived at Manchester City, but recent weeks have seen the Norwegian superstar at the center of a storm—one swirling with questions about form, fitness, and whether Pep Guardiola’s tactical tinkering is helping or hindering the Premier League champions. After all, despite a jaw-dropping tally of 153 goals in 187 appearances—a number that ties him for fourth on City’s all-time scoring list alongside club legend Colin Bell—Haaland’s current run has left fans and pundits wondering: what’s going on with City’s generational striker?

Let’s set the scene. Haaland’s record since joining from Borussia Dortmund in 2022 is nothing short of historic. He’s already claimed two Premier League titles, winning the Golden Boot in both campaigns, and was the top scorer in the UEFA Champions League in 2022/23—the season City completed a famous treble, lifting Europe’s most coveted trophy for the first time. That same year, he shattered the Premier League’s single-season scoring record and, by December 2025, became the fastest player to reach 100 goals in the league’s history. With 11 hat-tricks in all competitions for City and a contract that runs until June 2034, Haaland looks set to smash Sergio Aguero’s club record of 260 goals if he stays fit and focused.

But here’s the twist: despite those outrageous numbers, Haaland has managed only four goals in his past 18 games across all competitions. It’s a dip in form that’s hard to ignore, especially when City’s only wins in their last five matches came in the two games where Haaland didn’t feature. That’s not the kind of stat anyone would expect from a player with his reputation—and it’s fueled an ongoing debate about whether City are actually better off with or without their prolific No. 9 leading the line.

The conversation isn’t just confined to the terraces or the pundit’s desk. Fantasy Premier League managers are feeling the impact as well. Priced at a hefty £14.5m, Haaland has been the most transferred-out player ahead of Blank Gameweek 31, with over 195,000 managers cutting him from their squads as City face a blank due to their EFL Cup final clash with Arsenal. That’s more than 40,000 transfers out than any other player this week—a clear sign that faith in the Norwegian’s short-term prospects is wavering.

So, what’s behind this sudden downturn? The reasons are layered. First, there have been persistent concerns over Haaland’s fitness, with Guardiola carefully managing his minutes. Second, a tactical shift—most notably the move to a 4-2-2-2 formation since the arrival of Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth—has seen Haaland’s output drop sharply. Since Semenyo joined ahead of Gameweek 22, Haaland has scored just twice in eight appearances, though he’s chipped in with three assists. In that same stretch, Semenyo has outshone him, racking up five goals and an assist for 54 Fantasy points, compared to Haaland’s 34.

The numbers make for sobering reading. Haaland’s minutes per big chance have ballooned from 50.6 in the season’s first 21 games to 118.5 since Gameweek 22. The percentage of his shots in the box that count as big chances has dropped from 47.4% to just 33.3%. Most tellingly, his goal conversion rate has slumped from 24.1% to 10.5% in recent weeks. Two goals in 592 minutes since Semenyo’s arrival? That’s not the Haaland City fans have come to expect.

It’s not just the raw stats that are under the microscope. There’s a growing sense that Haaland’s presence, as vital as it is, might be stifling the attacking collective Guardiola has painstakingly assembled. The team’s most successful period before Haaland’s arrival saw them play a fluid, false-nine system, with goals shared among a rotating cast including Phil Foden, Bernardo Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, and others. In the 2021/22 season, City racked up 99 league goals—a tally still unmatched in the Haaland era.

Since Haaland’s arrival, City’s attack has often revolved around his strengths as a traditional target man—lethal on the break, with a sixth sense for movement in the box, but less suited to Guardiola’s intricate, possession-heavy style. As one source put it, “Outside his outrageous goalscoring capabilities, he does not and cannot offer a huge amount to a Guardiola team.” That tension has become more apparent as City’s results have dipped and as new signings like Semenyo, Doku, and Savinho have been added to the mix.

Guardiola’s faith in Haaland remains steadfast. Unlike previous stars—think Aguero or Lewandowski, who were sometimes rotated or left on the bench in big games—Haaland is the focal point, the player around whom the system must adapt. But that adaptation hasn’t always been seamless. “The sense that City are still having to work around him feels problematic in itself, though,” one analysis noted. The frustration has been visible on the pitch, too, with City fans lamenting Haaland’s reluctance to attack the near post and his limited pressing ability compared to the likes of Raheem Sterling or Bernardo Silva in their prime.

The schedule ahead offers little respite. After the EFL Cup final, City face a tricky trip to Chelsea in Gameweek 32, followed by a showdown with league leaders Arsenal in Gameweek 33. The fixture congestion, combined with Haaland’s patchy form and the threat of further rotation, has left both fans and Fantasy managers in a quandary. Some are considering selling him for the short term, with the caveat that Haaland remains the most-owned player in Fantasy and could punish non-owners with a sudden return to form—especially if City end up with a Double Gameweek later in the season.

So where does this leave Manchester City and their enigmatic striker? The debate rages on. Is this just a blip—a temporary dip in form for a player who’s proven he can deliver when it matters most? Or is it a sign that Guardiola’s tactical evolution and Haaland’s unique skillset are still searching for the right balance? With a contract that runs until 2034 and a record in his sights, Haaland has plenty of time to silence the doubters. For now, though, City’s title hopes and Fantasy fortunes alike hang in the balance, with everyone watching to see if the goals will start flowing again.

As City prepare for a decisive run of fixtures, all eyes remain on Haaland—will he rediscover his ruthless touch, or will the questions about his fit in Guardiola’s system only grow louder? One thing’s for sure: the debate isn’t going away anytime soon.