"I hear Haaland won't adapt to the way we play"

This Sunday, we will know who will win the Premier League. Man City take on Aston Villa and if they win, the trophy is theirs. If they fail to win and Liverpool defeat Wolves, then the Reds will be champions. 

Before the clash, Guardiola spoke to the media. One of the first questions the manager was asked was about Erling Haaland and his role at Man City. 

"I hear he’s not going to adapt to the way we play and I would like to ask 'how is the way we play?' I’m pretty sure those who ask don’t know it. I’m pretty sure he will adapt well like Julian Alvarez this summer coming from Argentina and we’re going to help him to adapt well," Pep said. 

That said, he understands that first he has to have the player with him before knowing exactly what he can contribute. "Players when they are good, (and normally they are in clubs like City ) they have good energy to see positives. They understand we want to help them and our way to play is so simple really. I’m pretty sure about Haaland. But to give you a real opinion I have to work with him first," he continued. 

Guardiola made it clear that he does not just count on Haaland for the 2022-23 season, but for the long term: "Haaland will arrive in a new country, a new house and new friends. All these kinds of things he has to adjust to. If it takes weeks great. If it takes months great. He hasn’t come here for two, three months, he’s come for many years I hope," Guardiola added.

The manager could earn his fourth Premier League title in five seasons, which would allow him to match a feat that Sir Alex Ferguson pulled off with Man Utd on up to three ocassions. "It would be brilliant. When I attived here, they told me that the Premier League was the toughest league. Only Sir Alex Ferguson at Man Utd could get four titles in five years. When this occurs, you realise how good United were in that period. We have to try and be like them," he concluded.