TROUBLE STANDARDS

Haaland's cup half empty after City took their eye off the ball

- JEREMY CROSS

ERLING HAALAND insists winning the FA Cup will not make up for Manchester City's shambolic season - because their standards have to be so much higher.

Pep Guardiola's flops have suffered an embarrassing campaign which left the football world in shock.

City failed to challenge for the Premier League title and didn't even reach the Champions League last 16.

The deposed champions can still win silverware by beating Crystal Palace at Wembley tomorrow.

But Haaland said even this might not mean much to their long-serving stars, who are used to lifting bigger trophies.

Asked if winning the FA Cup would save City's season, Haaland replied: "For me, it would help.

It's important to win trophies and that's what I want. That's why I'm here. So it would help, definitely.

"But again, the standards these guys have been putting up, maybe for them it doesn't mean anything, because they put the standard so high.