Pep Guardiola knows Erling Haaland is on track to break records this season.
The prolific Haaland has scored 22 goals in just 15 games since joining Guardiola’s Manchester City from Borussia Dortmund in the summer.
The 22-year-old scored 17 Premier League goals with a brace in the champions’ 3-1 win over Brighton on Saturday.
This means that after just 11 games he is already halfway to a competitive record for a season of 34. He also needs only six more games to get his golden boot last season.
City manager Guardiola said: “We don’t need to be a genius (to see) if he continues at this pace, with this average per game, he will definitely set the record.
But in football you could score, but in a few days you stop shooting, I don’t know.
“I think he’s happy when the team wins and he’s not happy when the team doesn’t win.
“But like every striker I’ve seen in my career – Samuel Eto’o, Lionel Messi, (Robert) Lewandowski, Thomas Muller, Sergio Aguero – Erling has the ambition to score and score. This is normal and should go away. “
Haaland will return to Dortmund on Tuesday in hopes of helping City secure top spot in Champions League Group G.
Guardiola’s team has already secured a place in the round of 16, but with only three points to two the Germans can still beat them for first place.
The Norwegian scored the goal when the two teams met at the Etihad Stadium in September.
“He is returning to his old home where he lived for a couple of years and he must be excited,” said City midfielder Bernardo Silva.
“For us it is a very important game because we want to finish first. It makes a big difference to be first or second and we go there to win.”
Pep Guardiola knows Erling Haaland is on track to break records this season.
The prolific Haaland has scored 22 goals in just 15 games since joining Guardiola’s Manchester City from Borussia Dortmund in the summer.
The 22-year-old scored 17 Premier League goals with a brace in the champions’ 3-1 win over Brighton on Saturday.
This means that after just 11 games he is already halfway to a competitive record for a season of 34. He also needs only six more games to get his golden boot last season.
City manager Guardiola said: “We don’t need to be a genius (to see) if he continues at this pace, with this average per game, he will definitely set the record.
But in football you could score, but in a few days you stop shooting, I don’t know.
“I think he’s happy when the team wins and he’s not happy when the team doesn’t win.
“But like every striker I’ve seen in my career – Samuel Eto’o, Lionel Messi, (Robert) Lewandowski, Thomas Muller, Sergio Aguero – Erling has the ambition to score and score. This is normal and should go away. “
Haaland will return to Dortmund on Tuesday in hopes of helping City secure top spot in Champions League Group G.
Guardiola’s team has already secured a place in the round of 16, but with only three points to two the Germans can still beat them for first place.
The Norwegian scored the goal when the two teams met at the Etihad Stadium in September.
“He is returning to his old home where he lived for a couple of years and he must be excited,” said City midfielder Bernardo Silva.
“For us it is a very important game because we want to finish first. It makes a big difference to be first or second and we go there to win.”
