Erling Haaland has been thriving within the 2025-26 season, rising as one of many frontrunners for the Premier League Golden Boot with 13 objectives. After one other standout efficiency in opposition to Bournemouth, head coach Pep Guardiola made a daring declare concerning the Norwegian star: “He’s reached the extent of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.”
Manchester Metropolis confronted AFC Bournemouth on Sunday trying to climb into the highest spots of the Premier League desk and shut the hole on leaders Arsenal. Exploiting the areas behind the protection, Haaland struck with a brace, opening the scoring within the seventeenth minute and doubling Metropolis’s lead within the thirty third, because the Residents claimed all three factors in one more nice efficiency of the Norwegian.
With Haaland chargeable for 65% of Metropolis’s Premier League objectives this season, Guardiola was requested whether or not he’s involved concerning the group’s dependence on him. “It’s true, however we performed in opposition to Swansea Metropolis with out him and scored 3 objectives… That is what it’s like when you play with Messi or Ronaldo, his affect is so huge, the imaginative and prescient and all. After all we want the objectives from Phil and the others however we had the possibilities,” he stated on the submit match press convention.
When pressed on whether or not Haaland has really reached the extent of the Argentine and Portuguese legends, Guardiola didn’t hesitate: “You see the numbers of that man? After all he’s that stage. Messi and Ronaldo have achieved it for 15 years: Messi’s within the MLS scoring two, three objectives each day, Cristiano in Saudi the identical. However that is the extent. The primary purpose, the best way he shoots the ball, it’s like ‘I’m going to attain’.”
Erling Haaland in opposition to AFC Bournemouth.
Guardiola has usually stated that nobody can match Messi within the GOAT dialog, whereas additionally praising Ronaldo’s consistency and legacy over time. However with Haaland’s present type, the Spanish supervisor made it clear that the numbers the striker has been pulling off now mirror the sort of affect as soon as seen from the 2 legends.
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Haaland and a powerful begin to the 2025-26 season
Final season didn’t go as deliberate for both Haaland or Manchester Metropolis, who ended the marketing campaign with out silverware. However in 2025-26, the tables have turned, particularly for the Norwegian ahead, who’s having fun with probably the greatest moments of his profession. He’s already scored 25 objectives in 16 appearances throughout all competitions for Metropolis and the Norway nationwide group.
The brace in opposition to Bournemouth pushed Haaland’s Premier League complete to 13 objectives, properly forward of a gaggle of gamers tied for second place (Semenyo, Thiago, Mateta, and Welbeck), all with six. He’s additionally closing in on his 2022-23 tempo, when he netted 15 objectives after Matchday 10, signaling a strong return to type.
Manchester Metropolis recovering key items
Following the 3-1 win over Bournemouth, Metropolis climbed to the second place within the Premier League with 19 factors, six behind the Gunners. Nonetheless, the group should endure some difficult weeks, with Borussia Dortmund awaiting within the Champions League midweek, adopted by an enormous league conflict with Liverpool earlier than the November worldwide break.
Talking about Haaland’s type, Guardiola emphasised the significance of getting key gamers again: “He has that starvation. It’s high. I stated how extremely coachable and manageable he’s. I’m robust typically with Haaland, however he’s open-minded. He lives for the objectives and typically the stress can’t maintain 90 minutes, however that’s regular. With out him it will be robust to be trustworthy, however we’re fortunate that Omar (Marmoush)is again, and we have now match gamers, it’s good.”
