Erling Haaland recently shared an unexpected yet entertaining moment at Manchester City training when he met veteran manager Neil Warnock, who had been invited to the session by Pep Guardiola. According to The Sun, Warnock spent time mingling with the squad and even offered Haaland a few words of advice ahead of this weekend’s FA Cup final against Crystal Palace—a club he once managed.
Haaland revealed that the two connected over traditional “kick and run” tactics, with the striker admitting that sometimes playing direct football is necessary. This might raise eyebrows considering Guardiola’s preference for possession-based tactics, but Haaland said his appreciation for the old-school approach comes from his father.
Speaking to the BBC, Haaland said: “He’s a really funny and genuine guy. I’ve grown up watching English football, so I know all about him—he’s a legend.
“I didn’t expect him to show up, but it was a great surprise and we had a good chat. He’s got that classic style, and I’m a bit old-school too, thanks to my dad. We had some meaningful conversations.”
When asked what they talked about, Haaland replied: “Sometimes you’ve just got to go direct—kick and run. That was his way back in the day, and I agree with it at times.
“We both love the game, so we talked about that, the tough periods we’ve gone through, and how we’ve built strong momentum lately. In past seasons, something always sparked us at the right moment—hopefully this is it again.”
Manchester City will face Crystal Palace in Saturday’s FA Cup final and continue to push for a top-four Premier League finish. They currently sit fourth, just two points above sixth-placed Aston Villa, with Bournemouth and Fulham left to play in the league.
Erling Haaland
Erling Håland
EnglandThis season he played in total twice for 92 minutes for FA Cup.
Erling Haaland scored 1 goal for Manchester City. He procured one assist. He received no yellow cards and no red cards.
His team is currently 4th in FA Cup. In the last match Manchester City drew 0-0 against Southampton.
Manchester City performance and stats
Manchester City will play the next match in FA Cup against Crystal Palace on Saturday 17th of May in London. The prediction is Manchester City winning the match.
