Summary:
- Manchester City sit second in the Premier League after a 3-1 win over Bournemouth.
- Erling Haaland has scored 13 of City’s 20 league goals, drawing comparisons to Messi and Ronaldo.
- Guardiola praises Haaland’s influence but acknowledges the team needs contributions from others to sustain a title challenge.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is confident his team has the energy and firepower to challenge for the Premier League title this season, thanks in large part to Erling Haaland, who Guardiola says is performing at “Messi levels”.
City moved up to second in the table after a 3-1 win over Bournemouth on Sunday, their fourth league victory in five games.
Guardiola: “Hopefully Arsenal Will Concede a Goal One Day”
Six points behind leaders Arsenal, Guardiola believes this season feels different from last year, when City finished 13 points off Liverpool.
Asked about the title race,
Hopefully Arsenal will concede a goal one day. The energy we didn’t have, we have. I had the feeling since the Club World Cup that we were in the moment. It’s just 10 games, still 28 to play, many things are going to happen. It’s important to be close and feel that the team is better and better.
On Haaland: “He Has That Hunger.”
Haaland scored twice against Bournemouth to take his season tally to 13, but questions remain about City’s reliance on him. Guardiola, however, insists Haaland’s influence is massive.
It’s like when you play with Messi or Ronaldo, their influence is so big. Of course we need the goals from Phil [Foden], Tijjani [Reijnders] and the others who had the chances. You see the numbers of that guy? Of course he’s that level. The first goal, the way he shoots the ball, it’s like ‘I am going to score.’ He has that hunger. It’s top. I’ve said many times how incredibly coachable and manageable he is.
While Haaland has scored 13 of City’s 20 league goals so far, only five goals have come from his teammates, excluding a couple of own goals.
That reliance could be a concern if the Norwegian striker misses time, a point former City goalkeeper Shay Given highlighted on Super Sunday. Guardiola acknowledged the need for depth, praising the return of Omar Marmoush and contributions from other players like Rayan Cherki.
For now, City are scoring freely, second in the league, and have lost just once since August. Haaland himself is in sensational form, with 26 goals for club and country by early November.