Pep Guardiola has again criticised the standard of officiating by claiming that Erling Haaland is not provided enough protection by referees. The 25-year-old has recently endured physical battles with Jan Paul van Hecke and Sven Botman in games against Brighton and Newcastle United, encounters from which his manager believed that Manchester City were due more free kicks. ‘Erling is the only striker in the world that makes more fouls than defenders do on him,’ Guardiola said. ‘He is only the striker in my life that he makes more fouls to defenders than defenders to him. ‘God bless that we have Erling in our team right now and all of the season,’ the City boss added.

Source: Daily Mail January 17, 2026 08:38 UTC