Erling Haaland relieved to break goalscoring drought against Leicester

By Jonathan Veal, PA

Erling Haaland is looking forward to taking his mind off football for a few days after Manchester City ended a five-game winless run with victory at Leicester.

The Norway striker was on the scoresheet along with Savinho as City gave boss Pep Guardiola success in his 500th game in charge.

Haaland, who scored after a four-game drought, has this week celebrated the birth of his first child and will make use of a rare six-day break before the next game against West Ham.

A thumping header from @ErlingHaaland! 😤 pic.twitter.com/LcqNFi6VTO

— Manchester City (@ManCity) December 29, 2024

“It’s always a relief to score. It’s been a difficult time,” he told the club’s official website. “Now it’s New Year, so don’t think too much about football.

“It’s five or six days until the next game, I think it’s the longest time I think in a pretty long period, so now we can rest a little bit and then we go again on the 4th.

“It’s important to look ahead. We have to keep going and stay positive and focus on the right things.”

Haaland’s header at the King Power came from Savinho’s cross and put City 2-0 up after the Brazilian had opened the scoring in the first half with his first goal for the club.

Guardiola praised the winger, who has had an indifferent start to life at the Etihad Stadium.

“He’s a guy who can play on both sides, today he finally scored a goal,” Guardiola said. “He has an incredible ability and quality he’s proven in that period.

“He arrived in the six months when the team isn’t in the best moment than maybe he expected, compared with the past.

“He makes one action fine, second fine, third miss it, four mistake, five mistake, the sixth try again and try again and try again. And until the end he tries.

Savinho's first goal in City blue! 🩵🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/4TZ1ntdcfv

— Manchester City (@ManCity) December 29, 2024

“He’s had a lot of chances but the moment you score one or two, you’ll score a lot. I’m really pleased for him for the game, the goal, the assist for Erling.”

Leicester remain in the bottom three after a fourth loss in a row, but they troubled City and missed big chances at key moments in the game.

Ruud van Nistelrooy was taking the positives.

“There are two ways to look at results,” the former Manchester United striker said. “You can look purely at results: when you win, you’re great, when you lose, you’re bad.

“But we want to develop our players in the game model and when things come off on the pitch on a day like this against a great side as a mana­ger and coaches and the squad you feel you are developing something and that is a nice feeling.

“But the best ­feeling is to collect points.”