City’s Balanced Brilliance: Haaland Shines, but Guardiola Insists on Broader Firepower

City seal 2-0 victory, yet Guardiola urges squad balance

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola praised his team’s togetherness after a deserved 2-0 win over Everton on Saturday, in the eighth round of the Premier League.

City briefly climbed to the top of the table as Haaland, the Norwegian striker, netted twice at the Etihad, but Guardiola also cautioned that opportunities must be shared with others.

Speaking to BBC after the match, Guardiola said: "The first half was textbook after the international break. We couldn’t control second balls easily. Everton and David Moyes did a great job. They have quality; when we broke the press, we played better."

On Haaland’s two goals, Guardiola joked before turning serious: "I’m not upset he didn’t score four or five—I'm happy with his performance, but we cannot rely on him alone".

He added that other players, especially the wingers and attacking midfielders, must raise their games and convert the chances created by Savinho, Doku, and others.

Haaland “lives to score,” Guardiola said, and our passing to him is improving, but the team must supply the quality too.

Regarding momentum, Guardiola noted we kept level quality and used minutes from a few squad members, reminding everyone that the schedule is heavy and demands full squad contribution.

We started slowly earlier this season against Tottenham and Brighton, but we have bounced back since the latest international break, building confidence as we move toward the Champions League.

Guardiola also praised a young midfielder who assisted the opener, calling him a talented presence who helps with set pieces and space in the minutes ahead.

Captain Ruben Dias reflected on the difficulty of the first half and the brighter outlook after the break, stressing that the second half was clearly better and that three points were deserved.

Foden added that the game was tough, but in the second half City were sharper, broke lines, and created many chances, leaving them pleased with the performance overall.

Foden also spoke about Haaland’s timing and their growing understanding, noting that even when marked tightly, Haaland can score and that their link play continues to improve.

Punchline: If City keep up this balance, their trophy cabinet might finally need a strategic extension. Punchline 2: Haaland scores twice, the rest of the team decides to start the homework—a little late, but better late than never.