Erling Haaland at 'Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo level' after latest brace says Pep Guardiola - 'You see the numbers of that guy?'
Updated 03/11/2025 at 14:24 GMT
Erling Haaland is currently as good as two of football's greatest players, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has claimed. Haaland scored his 25th and 26th goals of the season for club and country on Sunday as Man City sealed an important Premier League win. "You see the numbers of that guy?" Guardiola asked, as Haaland helped City climb to second.
'Have you seen his numbers?' - Guardiola compares Haaland to Messi and Ronaldo
Video credit: SNTV
Pep Guardiola has insisted that the current output level of Manchester City striker Erling Haaland is comparable to that of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Haaland is now two goals away from joining the Premier League 100 club after he struck twice in Man City's 3-1 win over Bournemouth on Sunday, as Guardiola's side kept in touch with league leaders Arsenal.
After the victory, the Man City boss said that the "influence" of the Norwegian star is as big as the two footballing icons, Messi and Ronaldo, who have long battled for 'GOAT' status during their illustrious careers for club and country.
"This is what it’s like if you play with Messi or Ronaldo, his influence is so big," Guardiola said via ManCity.com.
"You see the numbers of that guy? Of course, he’s that level. Messi and Ronaldo have done it for 15 years, but this is the level."
Guardiola also credited Haaland for his "coachable and manageable" work ethic, while admitting that he approaches the striker with tough love.
"The first goal, the way he shoots the ball, it’s like, ‘I am going to score’. He has that hunger. It’s top. I said how incredibly coachable and manageable he is," Guardiola said.
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"I am tough sometimes with Haaland, but he is open-minded. He lives for the goals and sometimes the pressure cannot sustain 90 minutes, but that’s normal.
"Without him, it would be tough to be honest, but we are lucky that Omar [Marmoush] is back, and we have fit players. It’s good."
Haaland's latest brace took his tally up to 26 for the season for both Man City and Norway. 17 of those have come domestically in just 13 games for The Cityzens.
It is no surprise that the 25-year-old is leading the goalscoring charts for his club in the top-flight this season with 13, while the second-highest number of goals by a City player in the league is one.
Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Cherki, Phil Foden, Matheus Nunes and Nico O'Reilly have all notched one goal in the Premier League, while Burnley's Maxime Esteve is second on the list with two own goals.
Haaland had "special talent" Cherki to thank on Sunday, as the summer signing provided the assist for both goals.
"The vision in the final third is good, and he has the consistency and courage to play," Guardiola said of the France international.
"The dynamic that we play, we need a little more time for the rhythm of the Premier League.
"He scored a goal and an assist against Swansea. Today, he made two assists and has a special talent with the connection to the people up front. It’s unique.
"It’s not just that, it’s many things. Step by step he can realise what we need to do."
'Hopefully Arsenal can concede one goal one day'
City trail Arsenal by six points, with The Gunners top of the tree with 25 points and Guardiola's side in second, one point above third-place Liverpool.
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'Hopefully Arsenal can concede one goal one day' - Guardiola on title hopes
Video credit: SNTV
Guardiola was quizzed on a potential title race, as the table begins to take shape with the three pre-season favourites leading the way.
"Well, hopefully, Arsenal can concede one goal one day, right?" the Spaniard joked.
Mikel Arteta's side have conceded just three goals in all competitions this season - which all came in the Premier League - while Haaland's goal at Emirates Stadium in a 1-1 draw was the only goal the leaders have conceded in open play.
In contrast, Sunderland have conceded the second-least number of goals in the league (7), while City themselves have leaked eight - the joint-third least.
"It’s just 10 games, still 28 to play," Guardiola continued.
"Many, many things will happen. It's important to be close and feel like the team is [getting] better and better, that is the point."
City welcome Borussia Dortmund to Etihad Stadium in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday - live on TNT Sports and discovery+ - before hosting Liverpool in a Premier League blockbuster.
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