Erling Haaland Reveals Mentality Shift Behind Manchester City’s Dramatic Drop-Off Last Season
Introduction: Appearing on The Rest Is Football podcast, Erling Haaland opened up about why Manchester City struggled last season, suggesting that psychological fatigue and the pressure of sustained success were major factors behind the club’s decline. The striker pointed to the difficulty of maintaining elite standards after winning four consecutive Premier League titles.
Full Story
Manchester City’s fall from their usual championship-winning levels last season has now been openly discussed by one of their biggest stars. Erling Haaland, who surpassed the 100-goal mark for City, revealed that the team’s dip in performance stemmed partially from a “different mentality” within the squad following years of dominance.
Pep Guardiola’s side finished the 2024/25 campaign third—13 points behind champions Liverpool—making it City’s lowest points total in more than ten years. Haaland reflected on how such a historic run can unintentionally lead to complacency or reduced sharpness.
“It’s injuries, first of all,” Haaland said. “I don’t want to blame injuries and I’m not doing it. I’m just saying it was a part of it.” He continued by highlighting the psychological difficulty of maintaining hunger after repeated success. “It’s just so difficult to maintain and to keep it up after winning. There is something psychologically if you haven’t won it for 25 years, compared if you’ve been winning it for the last four years.”
The striker added that human nature makes it hard to replicate the same intensity every season. “It’s so difficult to maintain after doing something great. When we win the treble, to be able to win four in a row—that was incredible. This will be spoken about for the next 100 years because I don’t think anyone will do it.”
Haaland’s comments underline the mental toll of prolonged success and serve as a reminder of how demanding it is to stay at the top of English football year after year.
Key Highlights
- Haaland admits City had a “different mentality” after four straight Premier League titles.
- City finished 13 points behind Liverpool, their biggest gap in a decade.
- Injuries played a role, but Haaland insists they were not sole cause.
- Psychological fatigue and difficulty maintaining hunger were key factors.
- Haaland says the four-in-a-row achievement “will be spoken about for 100 years”.
FAQs
Q: Why did Manchester City underperform last season?
A: Haaland says injuries contributed, but psychological fatigue and difficulty maintaining winning mentality were the bigger factors.
Q: Did Haaland blame injuries for City’s drop-off?
A: No. He said injuries played a part but were “not an excuse.”
Q: What achievement does Haaland believe will be remembered for 100 years?
A: Manchester City winning four Premier League titles in a row.
Q: How does Haaland describe the pressures of repeated success?
A: He says it is “human nature” for mentality to shift after years of winning.
Conclusion
Erling Haaland’s candid comments shine a light on the psychological realities behind Manchester City’s rare step backward last season. While injuries played their role, the striker believes the challenge of sustaining absolute dominance year after year ultimately affected the squad’s mentality. Still, City’s historic four-in-a-row remains a monumental achievement, one Haaland insists will be remembered for generations.
