Erling Haaland reveals how he has thrived under 'brutal' Pep Guardiola

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has admitted Pep Guardiola can sometimes be «brutal» because of his demanding nature but insists their relationship is «very good».

Haaland scored 56 times for City last season, shattering records along the way. He then started the 2023/24 Premier League campaign with a brace in the first 36 minutes of the opening day win over Burnley. But the Norwegian was publicly berated by Guardiola as he left the pitch at half-time.

Guardiola was seen animatedly instructing his striker to do more as they walked together towards the Turf Moor dressing rooms for the interval and aggressively pushed a television camera to the side upon becoming aware the exchange was being filmed.

The incident drew criticism from pundits, who suggested Guardiola should have waited to speak to Haaland behind closed doors.

«There'll be some people who'll love the intensity of that and say that that's why he's the best manager on the planet. Then there'll be others who will say that you shouldn't do that in a public forum, grabbing his arm in front of the cameras,» Gary Neville said on ' live coverage.

«I played for one of the most intense managers in the history of the game (Sir Alex Ferguson) — but he'd never have done that on the pitch in such a way.»

Alan Shearer concurred on the following night: «If he doesn't want the cameras to see him then wait until you're in the dressing room.

»I wouldn't have liked that. I'd have said two words to him and one of them would have been 'off'. Say what you want to me in the dressing room and give me the biggest telling off but not in front of the crowd like that."

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Haaland has had his say on Guardiola during an interview published bythat coincides with his nomination for the 2023