Pep Guardiola likened Erling Haaland to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo following the victory over Chelsea.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola expressed uncertainty about the injury status of Jack Grealish ahead of their clash against Chelsea. Guardiola compared Erling Haaland’s scoring prowess to that of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo after the Norwegian striker found the back of the net in City’s 2-0 victory over Chelsea.

Haaland’s goal in the 18th minute opened the scoring at Stamford Bridge, and Mateo Kovacic sealed the win with a late goal. It was Haaland’s 100th appearance for Guardiola’s side, and his total goal tally for City now stands at an impressive 91. However, the 24-year-old revealed that Guardiola expects more than just goals from him this season.

Despite not being in “the perfect state,” Haaland received high praise from Guardiola, who compared him to the likes of Messi and Ronaldo. Guardiola noted that Haaland feels better than last season, as he had a restful summer due to not participating in the Euros.

Guardiola commended Haaland’s defensive and midfield contributions in addition to his goal-scoring abilities. He emphasized that Haaland’s numbers are on par with Messi and Ronaldo, who have dominated the footballing world for the past decade.

Haaland has been a dominant force in the Premier League, winning the Golden Boot in the last two seasons and boasting the highest minutes-per-goal ratio in the league’s history. He reached the half-century mark in just 48 league matches, surpassing the previous record set by Andy Cole.

Reflecting on his team’s performance, Guardiola expressed his surprise at the result and acknowledged that City is currently not at their best. However, he highlighted the importance of the victory and the advantage of having a team that has been together for nine seasons.

Guardiola praised his players’ body language and behavior, emphasizing that it is the team’s response to difficult moments that defines them as a top team. He expressed his gratitude for being in charge of such a talented group of players and stressed the need for City to defend their crown as the best team in England.