Manchester City forward Erling Haaland says he is under no pressure ahead of Sunday’s championship clash against Arsenal as his side have “nothing to lose” and have been playing catch-up for most of the season.
City, which is being broadcast live on Sky Sports, face a crucial game, with seven wins in as many games almost certain to return the Premier League trophy to the Etihad after a year-long sabbatical at Liverpool.
But the usually free-scoring forward – who himself has been in the spotlight with one goal in his last five league games – downplayed expectations that City would maintain their remarkable consistency in the final weeks of the season in recent years and overturn the Gunners’ six-point lead.
“I’m very calm now,” he told Sky Sports from the club’s Etihad Campus training ground. “One game a week is really unusual for us.
“That rarely happens. To be honest, I don’t feel too nervous or anything. I’ve been chasing him all season and I don’t have anything to lose, so I don’t feel any pressure.”
“You would have to ask[Arsenal]if they feel under pressure. I can’t speak for them. I can speak for myself, mainly. As for myself, I don’t feel much pressure, because we are still far behind.”
Sunday, April 19th 4pm
4:30pm kickoff
Haaland will need to outdo Arsenal’s defensive duo of Gabriel and William Saliba if he is to reverse his form in the last four league games, something he failed to do in the 1-1 draw with City at the Emirates earlier this season.
Haaland has scored five goals in 10 games against the Gunners during his time at the Etihad, but will need to work hard to find space against arguably the best central defensive partnership in the Premier League.
He said, “It’s always a battle. They always have a lot of guys around me. That’s good for me. That means it’s good.”
“It’s not easy playing with so many players around you, but it’s always a great game. Like I said, it’s always good to play with the best players, because that’s what I want to do.”
City shook off the pressure of the title being within their grasp after a tense first half against Chelsea last weekend and re-emerged after the interval to score three goals in 17 minutes and cruise to a 3-0 win at Stamford Bridge.
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Manager Josep Guardiola admits Manchester City’s chances of winning the title are “over” if they lose to Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday.
This follows Arsenal’s surprise defeat at home to Bournemouth 24 hours earlier, which Haaland said meant the club’s last eight games had all been cup finals.
“It feels like a final. Just like last weekend against Chelsea, it was a final,” he said.
“Honestly, we have a final every weekend for the next six weeks.
“I hope it’s a great game because this is a big game, probably the biggest and best game ever. We all know that and we all know the importance of this game.”
After the Chelsea game, Haaland pushed young defender Abdukkodir Kusanov to the front of City’s celebrations, drawing applause from the away supporters in west London.
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Erling Haaland believes Portuguese midfielder Bernardo Silva is the smartest player he has ever played with after he announced he will leave Manchester City at the end of the season.
The 22-year-old initially took some time to find his footing at the club, but he has had a very impressive season and looks likely to start eight of the last 12 games in this weekend’s league game against the Gunners.
Haaland himself is just three years older than Kusanov, but said his actions at Stamford Bridge stem from his increased leadership role within the City team, given his relative experience of the game.
“I remember the moment with Kusanov, because he was great for us,” he said. “For him, moving to a new country, not speaking the language, nothing was difficult.
“There’s pressure, including being the first Uzbek player to play in the Premier League.
“I talk like I’m 35, but I’m actually not 35. I’m 25. I have a lot of experience, I’ve played a lot of football, so I know how to be in different situations. It’s about helping others. Sometimes things can be a little difficult because I know how they were. It’s about trying to make them comfortable.”
Watch Man City v Arsenal on Sunday on Sky Sports Premier League from 4pm, kick-off 4.30pm
