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Erling Haaland's decision to pass on a crucial penalty in the FA Cup final sparked criticism from Wayne Rooney, who argued he is not like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
On Saturday night, Manchester City endured an embarrassing outing in their FA Cup final match against Crystal Palace at Wembley Stadium.
Manchester City were banking on the FA Cup to win a trophy this season after a rough Premier League season, but they lost 1-0 following Eberechi Eze’s strike in the 16th minute.
Manchester City were forced to walk away empty-handed. In the Premier League, the Cityzens are sixth on the table, with just 65 points. They have two matches remaining to end their campaign.
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Manchester City also faced an early exit from the Champions League, and their two crucial Premier League matches will be vital in securing a Champions League spot for next season.
Wayne Rooney: Erling Haaland Does Not Compare to Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo
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Following Manchester City’s performance in the FA Cup final, Wayne Rooney observed one particular player, Erling Haaland.
Wayne Rooney pointed out that Erling Haaland should not be considered in the same bracket as Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo following his decision to give up a penalty during the match.
Erling Haaland usually takes penalties for Manchester City, but he handed the ball to Omar Marmoush, who failed to live up to the billing.
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Following Erling Haaland’s decision, the former Manchester United striker questioned why the former would give such a responsibility to another person.
"Erling Haaland is a world-class forward, but when we're talking about Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, there's no way they're giving that ball away," Wayne Rooney said on BBC Sport.
"That's what separates those two players from Erling Haaland or Kylian Mbappe and these players. They are selfish, and they want to score every game. When he misses chances, I think you can see it gets to him, and it does affect him.”
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Wayne Rooney added that Erling Haaland might have been overwhelmed since he was just coming back from an injury.
"Maybe the thought of taking a penalty at Wembley might have been too much for him. You never know, he's a human being," he added.
Pep Guardiola: I Thought He Would Want to Take It
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Pep Guardiola expected Erling Haaland to take up the penalty, but noted that the players decided that Omar would be a perfect fit to take it.
The Manchester City boss noted that in such a scenario, players know best and probably, Erling Haaland was uninterested in taking the penalty, and they could not force it down his throat.
"I thought he would want to take it. We didn't speak. There are questions in the meetings, and there are things that are ready for them,” Pep Guardiola said.
"That moment for the free-kicks, the penalty, is especially about how you feel. They saw that Omar was ready to take it."
Manchester City's FA Cup final defeat not only capped off a trophyless season but also exposed deeper concerns about confidence and decision-making within the squad.
With just two Premier League games left to secure a Champions League spot, Pep Guardiola will need his stars, especially Erling Haaland, to rise above the noise and finish the season with authority.
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