Exclusive: Dickov rejects Haaland criticism 'without him others at Man City aren't scoring'

Former Manchester City striker Paul Dickov says the recent flak aimed at Erling Haaland has been unfair.

Many pundits have questioned Haaland's all-round game after he drew a blank home and away in City's Champions League quarterfinal defeat to Real Madrid.

But Dickov, who spent eight years with City over two spells, told Tribalfootball.com: The criticism is unfair, he's not perfect but his expectations are set sky-high. Haaland scored 50+ goals last season and I think everybody expected him to do the same this season but that would've been so difficult for him, he's having a great season.

I'm sure he would openly admit that his performances haven't been to the standard he would like at times. He missed a number of games in the winter and he's still the joint-top goalscorer in the Premier League. There are a few holes in his game and if he doesn't score for a few games, then he leaves himself open for criticism and that's just football.

It is slightly unjust, I watch Man City a lot in my connection with the club and he contributes without people knowing sometimes, his movement is fantastic. He's always occupying two centre-halves, sometimes three, and he drags them everywhere creating space for his teammates.

In the game at the Bernabeu, City scored two fantastic goals through Gvardiol and Foden, but I genuinely believe that they don't even get their shots off, without Erling's presence. Normally defenders would come out and close the ball down, but because they're that worried about leaving Erling in the box, they hesitate, which creates space for other players.

Haaland is having a great season in the Premier League and to have 20 goals again is fantastic, people forget he's still a young boy, just 23 years old and what he's achieved already is unbelievable. I'm sure he'll score even more goals between now and the end of the season."

On City falling at the quarterfinal stage in the Champions League, Dickov insists the expectations about back-to-back Trebles had become unrealistic - even from those close to the club.

He also reasoned: "If you take the penalties out of the equation against Real Madrid, City would have been 29 games unbeaten and people are saying they still aren't at their best; the expectations are far too high.

The result was disappointing last week, going out on penalties against Real Madrid. People around City and the media were talking about them doing the double treble, which was evidently quite premature. Before last season, when City won the treble, only one club had ever done it in the history of English football. It shows just how difficult a feat it is, so for them to try and do that again would have been an almost impossible task and an unbelievable achievement if they had managed it.

However, it demonstrates the consistency City have, not just this season, but over the last five or ten years. For them to have got to this stage of the season making the quarter-finals of the Champions League, an FA Cup final, and have the Premier League in their hands, it just shows you how far the club has come."

- Paul Dickov was speaking to Tribalfootball.com on behalf of OLBG