Pep Guardiola insists that Manchester City often still play with a false nine despite now having Erling Haaland in the side.
Over the past two years the term 'false nine' has become a key word in the vocabulary of any City fan. Sergio Aguero's injury struggles in 2020/21 forced Guardiola to set his side up without a recognised striker, and that was the case again last season after City failed in their attempts to sign Harry Kane.
City of course won the title in both seasons, but the £51m signing of Erling Haaland earlier this summer appeared to signal a shift back to using an out-and-out striker.
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The 22-year-old Norway international has started each of City's three Premier League games so far as well as the Community Shield, lining up centrally at the tip of the attack with wingers either side of him.
His presence in the team have resulted in some slight changes in style - City are now able to play more balls in behind high defensive lines, as Haaland possesses the pace and strength to get on the end of them.
Haaland also provides more of a presence in the penalty area, providing a target for crosses as well as a distraction for defenders which the likes of Kevin de Bruyne benefit from.
However, speaking after City's 3-3 draw with Newcastle in which Haaland scored his third league goal of the season, Guardiola insisted that the false nine tactic is far from dead.
"Haaland moves. When he drops a little bit five or ten metres, we are playing with a false nine," Guardiola said.
"Sometimes it happens and sometimes he runs into the spaces. Last season when Bernardo played as a striker, it is not a problem. Today we found [Erling Haaland] more because Newcastle is more open so we had the space to do it. He had the goal, he had another one or two chances. Step by step he [Haaland] is helping us."
Guardiola went on to say that when the fixture load increases and City start to play every three days, Haaland will not start every game. Julian Alvarez will come into the team, a player even more suited to playing a false nine role if the match circumstances dictate.
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