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Haaland failed to register a single shot on target as the defending champions fell to another consecutive defeat in the Premier League.
Manchester City's woes deepened as they suffered a damaging 2-1 loss to Aston Villa on Saturday.
Goals from Jhon Duran and Morgan Rogers ensured Phil Foden’s late strike was nothing more than a consolation for the reigning champions who look likely to surrender the title at the end of the season.
Pep Guardiola’s side, now winless in their last eight away games, made six changes from their Manchester derby defeat, but the reshuffle did little to spark improvement.
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Villa capitalised early, with Stefan Ortega making two critical saves in the opening minute to deny Pau Torres and Duran.
However, the breakthrough came in the 16th minute when Youri Tielemans sliced open City’s defence with a pinpoint through-ball, setting up Rogers to assist Duran for the opener.
City’s frailties were further exposed in the second half as Morgan Rogers doubled Villa’s lead in the 65th minute, punishing his former club with a composed finish.
Foden’s injury-time goal was too little, too late, leaving City six points adrift of the top four and nine behind leaders Liverpool, who have played two fewer matches.
Aston Villa 2-1 Manchester City: Erling Haaland scapegoated by fans over damning stat
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While City’s defensive lapses were widely criticised, fans reserved their harshest judgment for Erling Haaland, who failed to register a single shot on target for the second consecutive game.
The 24-year-old Norwegian striker, who has scored 13 Premier League goals this season, faced intense backlash on social media over his lacklustre display.
One fan on X wrote, “You don’t know football if you think Erling Haaland is a better footballer than Nicolas Jackson…”
Another added, “Haaland has honestly been atrocious this season, scored 8 goals in like 3 games and hasn’t done sh*t since.”
Others pointed to a broader decline, with one user commenting, “Haaland has not been the same ever since he told Arteta to be humble.”
Haaland’s struggles reflect Manchester City’s broader crisis, as Guardiola’s men continue to underperform.
With their title defence hanging by a thread, the spotlight is firmly on City—and their under-fire striker—to turn their fortunes around quickly.
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