LONDON, Dec 21, (V7N) – Pep Guardiola has backed Erling Haaland to regain his scoring form but admitted Manchester City may dip into the January transfer market as they seek to recover from their worst run of form under his tenure.

City have won just one of their last 11 games in all competitions, a rare crisis for Guardiola’s usually dominant side. The dip in form has coincided with a decline in Haaland’s productivity, with the Norwegian striker scoring just once in his last five matches.

"Haaland Needs Support"

Guardiola insisted that the problem lies not with Haaland but with the team's overall performance.

"I prefer to play with Erling," Guardiola said ahead of Saturday's match against Aston Villa. "The reason why he's not so productive is the way we are playing. We don’t produce the chances we used to."

He added: "When he's surrounded by two, three, or four central defenders, it's not easy for him. We have to play better, to create the spaces for him."

Despite Haaland’s recent struggles, Guardiola dismissed suggestions of reverting to the "false nine" system that has served him well in the past.

"I didn’t think about that," Guardiola said. "The false nine worked because of the specific qualities of the players we had then. With Erling, we have to adapt."

January Transfers Possible

City have rarely made major moves in the January transfer window during Guardiola's reign, with Aymeric Laporte in 2018 being a notable exception. However, Guardiola acknowledged that this season’s unique challenges could prompt a change in strategy.

"We’re not big fans of the winter market, but the circumstances of this season have been special," Guardiola said. "We’ll see if something is possible. If not, we’ll wait until summer."

Facing Aston Villa

City's next test comes against an in-form Aston Villa side, and Guardiola is hopeful that a collective improvement in performance can help reignite their season.

"The team needs to play better overall," Guardiola said. "It’s not just about Erling. When we improve as a team, his goals will come naturally."

With the January window approaching, City fans will be watching closely to see if Guardiola opts to strengthen his squad to keep their hopes alive fora another Premier League title.

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