Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has praised striker Erling Haaland’s scoring abilities, stating that the Norwegian is on par with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in terms of finding the back of the net.
Haaland made an impressive return from injury, scoring two goals in Manchester City’s 4-1 victory over Southampton on Saturday. With a total of 44 goals this season, including 30 in the Premier League, Haaland’s scoring abilities were a significant factor in City’s win.
Guardiola, who coached Messi during his time at Barcelona, was impressed with Haaland’s second goal, an acrobatic overhead kick from a cross by Jack Grealish. He said that the striker’s performance changed the game, and that Haaland is on the same level as Messi and Ronaldo when it comes to scoring goals.
“As a top scorer, we lived two incredible decades with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, but he is on that level,” Guardiola said. “He scores a lot of goals. I am very happy with 65 minutes after injury, and he helped us again.”
Haaland’s performance was crucial in City’s victory over Southampton, as they struggled in the first half. However, their performance picked up after the break, with Grealish also scoring a goal.
The win puts City within five points of league leaders Arsenal, while Southampton remain at the bottom of the table. Despite the win, Guardiola is focused on securing a treble of trophies rather than thinking about City’s upcoming Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich.
Haaland’s incredible season has attracted interest from several top European clubs, including Real Madrid and Barcelona. Still, he has repeatedly stated that he is happy at Borussia Dortmund, where he is under contract until 2024.
