Pep Guardiola insisted Erling Haaland’s goalscoring form “depends on the team”, following the Manchester City forward’s recent dry spell.

Haaland is the Premier League’s leading marksman once again this season, with 22 goals in 27 matches.

Yet, the Norway international, who has recorded a league-leading 20.6 expected goals (xG) this term, has found the net just three times in his last 10 league outings. In that time, he has had chances worth 4.5 xG.

Nevertheless, despite enduring a less prolific spell in front of goal, Haaland has still contributed three assists in City’s four most recent games.

“Always, I say to try and make Erling as close to the box to score goals,” Guardiola told reporters ahead of the Citizens’ clash against Leeds United.

“There are no more tactics than that, and the team to help him score goals. It depends on the team.

“It’s really important [that he helps in the build-up] but we have to try and use him as little as possible, even with man-marking.

“We have to make an alternative to long balls with Erling when he’s up against a player like [Newcastle United’s Dan] Burn. Otherwise, every three days, doing that for a striker like Erling, it’s not sustainable.”

Erling Haaland scoring in his hometownpic.twitter.com/ulngMJHJbt

— Premier League (@premierleague) February 28, 2026

City can move to within two points of Premier League leaders Arsenal, who play Chelsea on Sunday, with victory at Elland Road.

Guardiola also offered his thoughts on Friday’s Champions League draw, which paired his side with Real Madrid in a blockbuster last-16 tie.

City will renew their rivalry with Los Blancos, who they have already faced 11 times since Guardiola took charge in 2016. That includes a 2-1 win at Santiago Bernabeu in this season’s league phase.

“It is a little bit weird [to face Madrid again],” he added. “It looks different. People will agree or disagree but it is different.

“But why not? In the Premier League and cups, how many times have we played against Newcastle this season? Hopefully, we can play against them in the final.

“The Champions League is so difficult. I’m not saying Madrid is not difficult, everybody knows that, but the rest of the teams that you play – you can name me any team, all of them have the ‘trick’.

“If you want to go through in this competition right now, you have to win against the best teams, otherwise you don’t deserve it.”