According to Manchester City head coach Pep Guardiola, Erling Haaland and Lionel Messi both possess an appetite for goals.
On Sunday against West Ham in the Premier League, the new acquisition scored twice to propel the defending champions to a 2-0 victory.
In the first half of the game in London, the Norwegian international scored his first goal from the penalty spot before latching onto a pass from Kevin De Bruyne and netting his second goal shortly after the hour mark.
Despite having a strong start to life in the English Premier League, Haaland was not happy with his double and expressed disappointment that he did not score a hat-trick, claiming that “it’s sh*t.”
What Did Guardiola Say About Haaland’s Goal Appetite?
Guardiola was happy to hear of the 22-year-old’s desire to keep scoring, saying it reminds him of his days at Barcelona with iconic attacker Messi, who now plays for Paris Saint-Germain.
In a post-game press conference, Guardiola said, “That’s good, I like it.”
“I was fortunate as manager to be with Messi and when he scored two, he wanted three, and when scored three, he wants four.
“The top goalscorers are never satisfied, they are always hungry and starving and want more.”
.@KevinDeBruyne 🤝 @ErlingHaaland#ManCity pic.twitter.com/QbSBOKozCC
— Manchester City (@ManCity) August 7, 2022
“I know how he handled a lot of criticism this week,” said Guardiola. He was really calm, he trained really well but the way he took the ball for the penalty, I said ‘I like it’.
“[He’s] so direct and I think if someone is taking the ball, he would punch them in the face even though they are his mates. And that is a pretty good sign. To be so confident, I like it.”
Although Guardiola believes he can continue to score, he believes the squad cannot rely solely on Haaland for goals.
“Erling scoring the two goals, it’s important for him and the team and for us, and it’s another weapon we have now,” he said.
“But at the same time, he’s not going to solve all our problems, he’s going to add something to us as a team. That’s what we are looking for.
Related Stories: Aguero: Bernardo Silva Would Be “Key” For Barcelona
“Today, the two goals, they were balls in front of the centre of defence and we had the feeling we could find him more.
“In the past we didn’t have a reference like him and now have to do it again but at the same time, the guys have to put the ball there, especially in transitions.”
COMMENTS