Pep Guardiola insisted Erling Haaland has the hardest job in world football amid the Manchester City striker’s concerning dip in form.

Haaland has just two goals from open play in his last 18 matches and cut a forlorn figure during Saturday’s 1-1 draw at West Ham United, a result that has handed further advantage to Arsenal in the title race.

On converting a dramatic penalty to beat Liverpool last month, the Norwegian admitted that there is ‘no excuse’ for his barren run and has one goal in his five appearances since.

Guardiola left Haaland at home as City beat Newcastle United in the FA Cup three days before defeat at Real Madrid, saying he needed to train. The City boss knocked back suggestions that the 25-year-old is carrying an injury problem.

‘I didn’t see fatigue in the last 20-25 minutes from Erling (at West Ham), to be honest,’ Guardiola said. ‘I didn’t see him fatigued. Sometimes it’s the tempo, the rhythm.

‘Do you know how many central defenders was there against him? Two hundred million. How many holding midfielders go close to the defenders? It’s the most difficult position in the planet.

‘For that, we have to deliver with the wingers and put it there. Always we tried, arrive there and look for Erling. Make a movement but it’s not easy. Sometimes we have periods where we have to accept it. He will be back.’

Guardiola’s comments indicate that Haaland’s issues are solely performance-related and City’s lack of cutting edge in the final third has hurt them in both the Premier League and Europe.

City need that to change that on Tuesday night in the Champions League last-16 second leg, when they attempt to create history by overturning a three-goal deficit against Real.

‘If they (the players) don’t believe, it is their problem,’ Guardiola added. ‘They are adults. They have a good salary. If they don’t believe in that in the Champions League, go home. Stay at home.

‘We have to try. What do we have to lose? Is there anybody in this room who thinks we will come back? Nobody.

‘What happened at West Ham, Nottingham Forest, Spurs, happened in the Bernabeu. The first 20 minutes, when we had five or six players in the box to score a goal. We’re not asking players to dribble past seven players and score a goal. But we miss the simple things in the box, defensive as well.

‘We are not able to score two, three, four. At Leeds we won 1-0. Not 3-0 or 4-0. We do many things good but not like we were. We have eight games left and have to accept it and finish the season better. Next season we will be back.’