Enzo Maresca has warned that Manchester City cannot keep asking Erling Haaland to bail them out of trouble, with the manager demanding goals from elsewhere in his squad.

Haaland has 13 for the season and sits seventh on the all-time Champions League scoring charts after passing Ruud van Nistelrooy. The Norwegian will lead the line against RB Leipzig in Germany on Wednesday night.

But City go into that one on a wobble. Aston Villa and Brighton have both taken Premier League points off them in recent weeks, with a Carabao Cup win over Brighton sandwiched in between. Three defeats in the last six across all competitions tells its own story, and Maresca wants the load shared.

"For sure, when you have Erling on the pitch, it's better because you know he's going to score goals and is always there. At the same time, we cannot rely on Erling every game. We need the rest to also score goals."

Maresca acknowledged the risk of leaning on one man, especially with fixtures arriving twice a week. He remains happy to have Haaland available, but the message to the rest of the squad is blunt.

"For me, it's very important that in each game, we create chances. But in this moment, I think the last game against Brighton was the only game of the season when we didn't score. But for sure, if Erling is on the pitch, we're happy."

Foden finds his rhythm again

Phil Foden is set to start in Leipzig, and the Stockport forward is talking like a man who has rediscovered his touch. His hat-trick against AEK Athens in the 5-1 home win two weeks ago was the standout moment of a season that has been patchy.

Elliot Anderson opened his City account in that same game, while Rayan Cherki took his tally for the campaign to six.

"Consistency, just keep playing regularly, being happy, positive and being in the right positions to score as well. Hopefully, I can get back to that level. I think I'm slightly starting to get there now with my recent performances, so hopefully I just keep growing and keep getting better."

Asked whether he can score more regularly, Foden said: "Hopefully!" A fairly low bar for a player of his quality, but there we are.

Europe has been a mixed bag. Porto were beaten on the opening night, then PSG won at the Etihad. Leipzig away is the sort of fixture that would once have felt routine. City's recent record against the Germans — an 8-1 aggregate win in the Treble season, including a Haaland first-half hat-trick and five on the night — is the stuff of memory rather than form guide.

That five-goal haul put Haaland alongside Lionel Messi as the only men to score five in a Champions League knockout tie, and among just three players, Luiz Adriano included, to do it in any round of the competition. Haaland has been doing this since arriving from Borussia Dortmund in 2022.

The question now is whether the supporting cast can chip in when he doesn't.