Manchester City can end a difficult season with some silverware if they beat Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final on Saturday, but Erling Haaland claimed that this would still not save their campaign
Erling Haaland says that winning the FA Cup will not make up for the bad season of Manchester City, because the standards they have determined are so much higher. The side of Pep Guardiola has passed a bleak campaign according to their elevated standards, which do not challenge the Premier League title and the Champions League has not even made the past 16 years.
Although City can win silverware by beating Crystal Palace in Wembley this weekend, Haaland said that it might not mean much for their long -term stars that are used to lifting larger trophies.
Asked if winning the FA Cup would save the season of the city, Haland said: “It would help for me. It is important to win trophies and that is what I want. That's why I am here. So it would certainly help.
“But again, the standards that these guys have set, maybe this means nothing for them, because they have the standard so high. But it would certainly help for me.
“City has high standards and won so much in recent years, even before I came. Yes, it has not been good enough.
“We have not yet been there in the Premier League or the Champions League and that is not good enough for a club like a city. You should be there and you have to compete.
“We have not done that now, if we can end strong in the Premier League and win the FA Cup, that would really be a good thing. I will do everything to make it happen.
“You can't win every year. And again, why I said that the club has set the standards, so that the bar is so high that this season is a catastrophic season – that just says it all.
“I don't know the answers, but sometimes you just have to run. You have to run more. We didn't run enough this season. You have to run more, perform better, be more stable as a team.
“Of course you can apologize. Injury, many injuries at bad times, but in the end we did not perform well enough. Next season we have to find something in our stomach to attack the season.”
From more direct care for Haaland and his teammates, a palace side overcomes them this season in their two league meetings. The side of Guardiola followed in both games and pulled 2-2 in Selhurst Park in December and then came down from 2-0 to win 5-2 in the Etihad Stadium last month.
Although City starts the final as favorites, Haaland knows that he should not underestimate the entrepreneurial side of Oliver Glasner, which are able to cause a large upset.
“Palace is a very difficult club to play against,” said Haaland, who has 30 goals this season despite a recent absence of seven games due to injury. In Selhurst Park we pulled and they really started at Etihad. They are a great team with quality players. “
Haaland has an extra reason to lift the FA Cup, with Tomorrow Constitution Day in Norway, a national holiday and celebration of the independence of his country in 1814.
“It would mean a lot to me on a big day in Norway, May 17,” said Haaland. “So I will do everything I can do to make it possible and everything I can do to help the team achieve this.”