Pep can boldly bench Haaland & unleash “unbelievable” Man City star instead

Manchester City failed to inspire much festive cheer as they dropped more points in the Premier League against Everton, drawing 1-1 with the Toffees.

Pep Guardiola’s men have endured a frustrating run of form in recent months and things don’t exactly look like they are going to change, especially with Rodri – seen as the fulcrum of the side – out until the end of the season.

Even Erling Haaland, who missed a penalty against Everton, has failed to work his magic, scoring just three Premier League goals since September 22nd.

Against Leicester City this afternoon, could the manager drop the Norwegian striker due to his poor performances of late? It is certainly a possibility.

Why Guardiola must now drop Erling Haaland

Haaland’s touch in front of goal has deserted him in recent months and, with no competition for his place in the side, the manager has been forced to utilise him, despite poor form.

Operating once again as a lone striker against the Merseyside outfit on Boxing Day, Haaland managed to take just 22 touches while completing ten passes during the 90 minutes.

The centre-forward also lost possession eight times and managed just one shot on target. His penalty miss will also affect his confidence, and it is evident that dropping to the bench could do the player the world of good.

This will mean Guardiola must make some tactical adjustments to his starting XI, indicating that Phil Foden could operate as a false nine against the Foxes.

With this in mind, Kevin De Bruyne should well come back into the side in place of the Englishman, operating directly behind him, and it could be the spark needed to get City back to winning ways.

Guardiola must unleash Kevin De Bruyne against Leicester City

Late last season, the Spaniard praised his talisman for being “unbelievable” during a 4-2 win over Crystal Palace. Just a few weeks later, the club won their fourth league title in a row and everything appeared rosy.

De Bruyne has missed a few games this term with a hamstring injury, meaning he has registered just four goal contributions in all competitions – two goals and two assists.

Despite starting only seven league games this season, De Bruyne has still managed to create seven big chances, averaged 2.3 key passes and succeeded with 58% of his dribbles, proving that he can still offer a lot in the final third.

By moving Foden to a false nine position, the Belgian will be able to slot in just behind him, allowing him to demonstrate his talents in an area where he will be able to cause plenty of damage.

Guardiola won’t be worried about performance, especially when the club requires all three points to remain in the hunt for a Champions League spot.

If dropping Haaland to the bench is the best way of going about this, then the manager must make the bold decision to drop him ahead of the game.