Pep Guardiola showered praises following another stellar performance by Erling Haaland. The Norwegian striker netted twice in Manchester City’s 3-1 victory over Bournemouth, prompting the Spanish manager to compare Haaland’s current form to the legendary standards set by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
“Have you seen his statistics? Of course, he’s at their level,” Guardiola remarked during the post-match interview.
“The key difference is that Messi and Ronaldo achieved this for fifteen years and continue to score even in leagues like MLS and Saudi Arabia. But yes, Haaland is already part of that group. The way he struck his first goal… He just knows it’s going in. That hunger he shows is exceptional. It’s an incredible experience working with him,” added the Man City manager.
The 25-year-old striker has an astonishing 322 career goals across club and international football, and has already outscored the rest of his team combined this season. Guardiola likened Haaland’s impact on Manchester City to the influence Messi and Ronaldo had on their own sides.
“It’s similar to them – the impact they bring is immense. Of course, we need other players to contribute to scoring, but with someone like him in the team, it’s hard to complain,” he said with a smile.
Haaland is well on his way to securing another Premier League Golden Boot, fueling speculation in Manchester that he might lead the team to yet another English title. Guardiola revealed that he often sets high standards for Haaland, but the Norwegian striker is always receptive and eager to improve further.