Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola believes striker Erling Haaland can compete with the goals records set by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo after the Norwegian scored two more in his side's 4-1 win over Southampton on Saturday.
Haaland was back from a groin injury to net twice at St. Mary's as he took his Premier League tally for the season to 30 and reached 44 in all competitions.
"To reach the level of Cristiano and Messi takes a lot of work," Guardiola said after the match.
"They were never injured. Erling is so tall. He is huge. So he needs a lot of care from the physios. But since I met him he has the right mindset. His mind is in the right position.
"He lives to be professional and to compete. I see his reaction when he misses goals, even in training sessions. But he is frustrated for five minutes and then he comes back and does the job he wants to do."
"He puts pressure on himself like Messi and Ronaldo. When he doesn't score two or three goals he says 'what's the problem, what's the problem?' The numbers he has at his age are unbelievable.
"You see how many games Erling has played during his professional career and you compare the goals he has scored in that time to Messi and Cristiano, it's quite similar.
"I think Messi is a more complete player. He can play wherever because he understands the game.
"The other two, Cristiano and Haaland, are like a machine. But Erling knows the other two guys have dominated for two decades, not just one year.
"They have scored goals, won titles and done absolutely everything. I think football is a better place because of Cristiano and Messi because of what they have done for this business competing for the big clubs.
"Erling is just 22 years old and he is doing it in the toughest league in the world. I can talk because I've been in other leagues. Doing what he is doing is remarkable."
