Erling Haaland scored a hat-trick in Manchester Metropolis’s 4-1 thrashing of Ipswich City on Saturday, bringing his purpose tally for the season as much as 4 in two matches and his complete variety of Premier League targets as much as 67 in 68 appearances. He is not solely on monitor to be essentially the most prolific goalscorer in Premier League historical past; he is nicely on his technique to turning into one of many biggest goalscorers of all time.
For now, although, Manchester Metropolis supervisor Pep Guardiola has no doubts about who he thinks is the very best middle ahead of all time is: Lionel Messi.
“Probably the most unimaginable ahead I’ve ever seen is Messi — I’ve by no means mentioned one thing like that,” Guardiola instructed beIN SPORTS on Saturday when requested if Haaland is the “most full” middle ahead he is ever seen.
[Related: Man City manager compares Erling Haaland to Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo]
Messi scored 211 targets in 219 matches below Guardiola at FC Barcelona and recorded 94 assists. He is nonetheless Barcelona’s all-time main goalscorer and the highest goalscorer in La Liga historical past with 474 targets; Cristiano Ronaldo is second with 311 targets.
Haaland hasn’t reached the statistical peaks that the likes of Messi and Ronaldo have but, however Guardiola thinks his star striker already has a robust case as a legendary goalscorer.
“The numbers with Erling are unbelievable,” Guardiola mentioned. “I feel he can sit on the desk, when it comes to scoring targets, with Cristiano [Ronaldo] and Messi, that is for positive.”
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Lionel Messi
Erling Haaland
English Premier League
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