Haaland hopeful of FA Cup success after 'boring' and 'horrific' season

Erling Haaland labelled Manchester City's season "boring" and "horrific" but is hopeful they can cap it by winning the FA Cup on Saturday.

It is City's last chance for silverware this season. They had won the last four Premier League titles in a row, but have seen their crown switch to Liverpool's hands, with Pep Guardiola's side 18 points behind the Reds with two games left.

A run of one win in nine Premier League games between November and December saw City lose pace at the top and drop out of the early title race.

They sit fourth in the table and are now given a 91.7% chance of finishing inside the top five, and securing Champions League qualification, by the Opta supercomputer.

City were knocked out of the Champions League in the play-offs by Real Madrid, having also lost to Tottenham in the fourth round of the EFL Cup.

However, City go into the FA Cup final against Crystal Palace on the back of a 10-game unbeaten streak, but Haaland, who had been in a race to be fit for the showpiece at Wembley Stadium, says they have underperformed this campaign.

"This season has been tough," he told BBC Sport. "It is not nice to lose so many games.

"It is boring and not fun. That's why we need to finish well and get a trophy.

"It is a good habit to reach Wembley, and always important to win trophies. We have the FA Cup final to play for, and in a horrific season, we still managed to do this.

"When you have won four league titles in a row, if you don't win five, it's not going to be a successful season.

"Those are the standards we have set. We haven't done good enough in the league, but still hoping for Champions League qualification.

"Crystal Palace are a really difficult club to play against. At Selhurst Park, we drew [2-2 in December], and they started really well at the Etihad [in City's 5-2 win in April]. They are an amazing team with quality players."

Haaland had missed seven games through injury, having sustained an ankle problem against Bournemouth in an FA Cup quarter-final, before making his return in last Saturday's 0-0 draw at Southampton.

He has netted 30 goals in all competitions this season but has been frustrated by his performances in front of goal, having netted 52 times in his debut season (2022-23) and 38 goals last term.

But Haaland noted that City have struggled to find stability across the pitch.

"We haven't been stable enough this season, and we haven't won enough games. It is as simple as that," he added.

"We have to perform better in the big games. We haven't won enough consecutive games.

"Of course, we have had injuries throughout the season. But we should not search for excuses.

"Every single one of us hasn't been good enough, and we haven't been at our best, so when you are not at your best, you aren't going to win games in this country because it's so hard."