Pep Guardiola believes Erling Haaland is now scaling the heights reached by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo after the Norwegian’s incredible season continued with another double.
Haaland took his tally for the campaign to an astonishing 44 as Manchester City threw down the gauntlet to Premier League leaders Arsenal by cutting the Gunners’ advantage to five points. His first was a routine header from a gorgeous Kevin De Bruyne cross. But Haaland’s second was a volley of such sublime beauty that even Southamptons fans felt obliged to applaud.
Guardiola has never been one to hype his own players. But the City boss couldn’t help himself as he gushed: “We have lived with [Lionel] Messi and Cristiano [Ronaldo] for two incredible decades - and now Haaland is on that level.
“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. The other two, Cristiano and Haaland, are like machines.
“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. 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. To reach the level of Cristiano and Messi takes a lot of work. But Erling 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.”
City have now won their last eight games as they chase the unique Treble won by rivals United in 1999. And with a Champions League quarter-final with Bayern Munich looming on Tuesday night, there must have been a temptation for Guardiola to rest players.
Southampton are four points adrift of safety and boss Selles said: “Are we getting cut adrift? Not at all. Not for me.
“I do not waste my time looking at the table. I look at my team and we are still there, still alive. We just need to continue our work to get those last bits right.
“We will keep the boys believing and keep working hard.”
