 "Erling Haaland missed from two yards out for Manchester City against Manchester United in the Premier League. AP")
At the stroke of half time in Manchester City vs Manchester United, Erling Haaland was quite possibly guilty of the miss of the season.
The prolific Manchester City striker was barely two yards from goal when Phil Foden’s header across the face of goal reached him late in the first half in the Premier League.
United goalkeeper Andre Onana was left flat-footed and nowhere to be seen. Surely Haaland couldn’t miss?
Yet, he did.
The Norway international, top scorer in the Premier League last season, appeared to be confused between heading the ball and volleying it. He opted for the volley and was unable to keep the ball down, ballooning the ball over the crossbar.
“He can miss this one, it is the reaction,” City manager Pep Guardiola said of Haaland. “He is sad for 10 seconds and he can miss five more and is sad for 10 seconds in his mind but after that erase it and onto the next one.
“The great, great players I met, and I’ve been fortunate as a player and especially a manager, they have that incredible ability to forget in an instant. It’s painful, it has to be, but they forget it as quick as possible. Tennis players, golf players, basketball players, when they miss, and everyone misses, they say, ‘OK,’ smile, be positive and go for the next. That defines the great players and he did it.”
Haaland atoned for his glaring miss by scoring City’s third goal in stoppage time to complete their come-from-behind win over city rivals, winning 3-1 .
Haaland has a league-high 18 goals this campaign. Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa is next with 16 goals.