LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – Pep Guardiola believes that Erling Haaland has same “mentality” as Lionel Messi in goalscoring, but he considers that such comparison is detrimental to the Manchester City player.
In the third minute of City’s 2-1 victory over Fulham over the weekend, the Norwegian striker scored his 50th goal of the season across all competitions.
Aside from that, he now shares the record for the most Premier League goals in a single season with Andy Cole and Alan Shearer with his 34th league goal.
Haaland is already being compared to Messi as a result of his heroics in England, but Guardiola maintains that the superstar of Paris Saint-Germain is above comparison.
“No one can compare with Messi, it will not help Erling, but in terms of goals and mentality, yeah,” stated Guardiola, who managed Messi for four years at Barcelona. “Messi has done it every season in the last 10 or 15 seasons, but Erling has got to the same level in terms of goals.
“It’s almost every game, he scores a goal. One or two every game, he had the chances to do it but Messi is the most complete player I have seen in terms of vision, dribbles, passes, competitiveness, in many things that are difficult. Hopefully Erling can be so close like [to] Leo, that will be great for us and him.”
Haaland was praised by Guardiola for his “confidence in himself” and unquenchable thirst for victory.
Additionally, the manager insists that Haaland’s game can still get much better and that he has not yet reached his full potential.
Always, I’ve said with Erling it will be tough when you look at what he has done and if he doesn’t score the goals like he’s scoring now people will say ‘Oh, he’s in a bad situation’ but his game can improve a lot. “We have spoken about that.”
He added. “The movements, I wouldn’t say in the box but the game itself. I think he has that feeling ‘Is that enough?’ I think he has the desire to get better as a player, as long as he has it he can do it. To go to work knowing you can do something better is the way.
“I know him a bit and he is so competitive and positive in his mindset. He has this incredible self-positive confidence in himself. It’s not arrogance. It’s self-confidence to say I am going to score. To arrive in his first season and score 50 already and he equalled the record for two legends in Andy Cole and Alan Shearer, so that’s big.”
Haaland will set a new Premier League record for the most goals in a season if he scores against West Ham on Wednesday at the Etihad Stadium.