City are facing a slump unlike anything Guardiola has known during his illustrious managerial career, losing eight and winning just one of their last 11 games in all competitions.
The slump has seen the typically dominant Haaland, a key figure while City won an unprecedented four consecutive Premier League titles, score just once in his last five games while denying service and chances.
However, Guardiola said he has no interest in returning to the ‘false nine’ system that has worked so well in the past.
“I prefer to play with Erling,” Guardiola said ahead of Saturday’s Premier League trip to Aston Villa.
“I don’t think I’d let Erling play in the situation I have – not at all. No, no, I didn’t think about that.
“I always play false nines for the quality of players I have at that moment.
“Playing man-to-man in some games, I like playing against false nines but I have Erling, I have to adapt.”
The Catalan boss added: “I see him well, I see him well. The reason he’s not so productive in this situation is the way we play, we don’t produce the chances we could. In the past.
“When he is surrounded by two or three or four central defenders it is not easy for him. We have to play well, to create spaces for him.”
City have rarely moved in the transfer market during Guardiola’s eight years in charge in the January window but he admits that policy could change this time around.
“We’ll see,” he said. “I don’t know how many times in the past years we went to the winter (market) – maybe only Aymeric Laporte seven years ago.
“We are not big fans of it but the circumstances of this season are special. We have to see if something is possible and if not we will wait until the summer.”