Haaland shows frustration and pushes away TV camera after Chelsea draw

18 February 2024 - 10:05 By Reuters
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now
Erling Haaland reacts after Manchester City's Premier League draw against Chelsea at Etihad Stadium in Manchester on Saturday.
Erling Haaland reacts after Manchester City's Premier League draw against Chelsea at Etihad Stadium in Manchester on Saturday.
Image: Reuters/Carl Recine

Erling Haaland pushed aside a television camera after the final whistle on Saturday, his frustration spilling over after he took nine shots but scored no goals for the first time in his Manchester City career.

Rodri netted a late equaliser to salvage a 1-1 Premier League home draw for the champions against Chelsea as they avoided their first loss at the Etihad in 15 months.

“That's good, it's good to have nine shots,” City manager Pep Guardiola said. “Next game he is going to score.

“I was a football player, I played 11 years, I scored 11 goals. One goal a season. It's football, it's human beings.”

As the players gathered on the pitch after the final whistle, Haaland pushed aside a live TV camera focused on the striker's face.

Haaland, who rewrote the scoring record books in his Premier League debut season last year, continued his prolific form before a broken foot sidelined him for nearly two months.

He scored twice in City's 2-0 win over Everton last weekend to reclaim sole possession of the league scoring lead with 16 goals.

City remained third in the table on 53 points, four behind leaders Liverpool and two adrift of Arsenal, but with a game in hand. They can climb to second with victory over visiting Brentford on Tuesday.

“If Haaland put away the chances we're not even talking about this,” former City player Micah Richards said on Sky Sports.

"[However] I never worry about Haaland, his mentality is completely different to most strikers in world football. He always gets an opportunity.”

“He misses a lot of chances — if he wasn't getting these chances, that's when I would be worried.”

The 23-year-old Norwegian looked frustrated all game long, sending two headers over the crossbar before hitting a volley just wide. His best chance was a late unmarked close-range header he sent over the bar before burying his head in disbelief.

Many City fans around the world did the same.

Rodri's late goal salvaged the draw as the champions avoided their first home loss in 15 months but had their 12-game winning streak across all competitions ended.

Guardiola's team, unbeaten in their last nine league games, remained third in the table on 53 points, four behind leaders Liverpool and two adrift of Arsenal, but with a game in hand.

Raheem Sterling scored for Chelsea against his former team in the 42nd minute from a counterattack, beating City defender Kyle Walker before curling the ball past keeper Ederson.

After numerous near-misses that had the City fans holding their heads in frustration, Rodri equalised in the 83rd minute with a thunderous shot that deflected off Trevoh Chalobah into the net.

Also on Saturday, Darwin Nunez scored with an exquisite chip as Liverpool kept their foot on the throttle in the title race with a 4-1 win at Brentford to go provisionally five points clear at the summit.

Nunez's first-half effort opened the scoring, and goals after the break from Alexis Mac Allister and the returning Mohamed Salah effectively ended the contest.

Ivan Toney pulled one back for Brentford, but Cody Gakpo grabbed Liverpool's fourth to wrap up a comfortable win for the visitors.

Bukayo Saka scored either side of half time as Arsenal crushed second-from-bottom Burnley 5-0 at Turf Moor on Saturday to go second and keep the pressure on Liverpool.

Martin Odegaard opened the scoring in the fourth minute, shooting left-footed from outside the box into the bottom right corner, and Saka made it 2-0 from the penalty spot in the 41st after a foul on Leandro Trossard.

Saka claimed his second two minutes after the break for his 12th league goal of the campaign, Trossard made it 4-0 and Kai Havertz added a fifth as Arsenal cruised to a fifth straight win in 2024.


subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now