What upset Erling Haaland did after the Sporting debacle reveals a breach between Man City players.

The moments you may have missed when Manchester City faced Sporting CP in the Champions League at the Estadio Jose Avalade.

Manchester City suffered a humiliating Champions League defeat at Sporting, with a terrible second half resulting in their first European defeat since April 2022.

City took the lead early on through Phil Foden, but after dominating the first half and squandering several opportunities, Sporting equalized on the break through Viktor Gyokeres.

Sporting startled City by scoring inside 20 seconds of the second half, and they were awarded a penalty 22 seconds later. Gyokeres converted twice, adding gloss to the scoreline. Erling Haaland smashed a penalty against the crossbar to add to City’s disastrous night in Lisbon.

ALSO READ: Manchester City player ratings vs. Sporting – four 4/10s amid Erling Haaland horror

ALSO READ: Man City’s 42-second meltdown raises significant questions for Pep Guardiola.

These are the moments you might have missed from Manchester City’s recent Champions League trip:

What did Haaland do full-time?
Haaland has gotten himself into the ideal places and has had numerous shots, but they aren’t going in. He achieved his second-highest predicted goals figure in a City shirt against Southampton but only scored one, had two or three fantastic efforts at Bournemouth but couldn’t reach the back of the net, and appeared in the mood again against Sporting, only to miss a number of wonderful chances.

The biggest chance of the game came from the penalty spot, which was mercifully awarded in City’s favor at 3-1 down. A delay appeared to disrupt his concentration, as Haaland’s penalty kick struck the crossbar and sailed over. What is it about Haaland and penalties in Europe?

He has taken 17 shots on goal since his successful attempt against Southampton, eight of which have been on target. He’s not exactly out of form, but he’s also not in form.

Haaland was the first to slam the ball down in the center of the pitch after each goal City conceded, appearing enraged by another strike against them. He blew his cheeks out after the penalty flew over, and he appeared upset when Bernardo Silva snatched the ball before it was handed, which turned out to relieve pressure on his partner.

That was the kind of disconnect between the forwards that had been occurring all night. Too many flicks and overhit passes. Players should not be where they are. They are not crossing when they are supposed to.

At full-time, Haaland was visibly upset with his performance and the general situation. While other City players shook hands with the hosts and apologized to the fans, Haaland was observed briefly approaching the supporters to cheer them before marching straight down the tunnel with minimum post-match pleasantries on the pitch.

It summarized both his and City’s nights; the players were simply on different pages.

Simpson-Pusey displays glimpses of his quality.
Before May, Jahmai Simpson-Pusey has rarely played in front of a crowd, with the exception of a UEFA Youth League defeat against Mainz last season. Then he won the FA Youth Cup in front of 20,000 fans at the Etihad Stadium before being called up to the first team squad for the pre-season tour of the United States. He began against Celtic in front of 30,000 people, followed by 46,000 at Yankee Stadium.

Now, he’s appeared in the Carabao Cup at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and made his complete senior debut at Estadio Jose Avalade, where the atmosphere before kickoff was so intense that viewers in Manchester could hardly hear the commentary team over the singing.

But 19-year-old Simpson-Pusey is unfazed by these events. Simpson-Pusey remained solid against the prolific Viktor Gyokeres, who is apparently a transfer target for Manchester United due to his links to Ruben Amorim. On one instance, he just positioned himself right and held up the striker to prevent a deadly break. He did virtually everything properly to prevent Gyokeres’ equaliser, but the striker was too powerful and deserved his goal.

He struggled in the second half as City crumbled, but there were still some brilliant challenges, particularly one to prevent another breakaway. It wasn’t a great debut, and he rightfully relied on Manu Akanji at times. However, the center-back is playing with incredible confidence and is a completely different player.

Noel Gallagher’s Pep deal hint
Noel Gallagher, an unexpected addition to TNT Sports’ commentary crew, talked out about his bond with Pep Guardiola prior to the game. Gallagher will pay Guardiola a visit after each game he attends, and the Oasis rocker shared his thoughts on the manager’s expiring contract.

Gallagher stated: “He’ll be carried out of the stadium [when he leaves].” I’m not sure; he hasn’t mentioned anything to me. But I believe he’ll stay for another year.

“It gives everyone a chance to breathe and think about what he done. If he can win another Champions League this year, it would be fantastic. If he never wins another game from this point forward, he will be our most decorated manager.

“Khaldoon is the most significant figure at the club. We all know he (Guardiola) is departing. He has previously stated that he will not stay for another seven or eight years. So they must know. They have a plan in place. Txiki is also leaving; it appears that an era is coming to an end. I don’t know a single fan who is unhappy about it. Everyone is eager to give him the fantastic send-off he deserves.

“I hope he doesn’t depart after the season’s final game and we can’t say goodbye. It will greatly benefit the league. Everybody may take stock, begin afresh, and usher in a new age.”

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