The Manchester City boss has praised Haaland’s ability as a striker, saying no defender in the world can stop the Norwegian from scoring goals. After a hat-trick against Ipswich last week, the City star scored a second successive Premier League hat-trick on Saturday as the reigning champions beat West Ham 3-1.
With another remarkable performance, the 24-year-old forward broke a 30-year-old Premier League record by becoming the first player since Bradford City’s Paul Jewell to score two hat-tricks in a club’s first three games. The former Borussia Dortmund star, who won the Golden Boot for the last two campaigns, has already scored seven goals after just three outings this season.
A 30-year-old Premier League record
After the match, Guardiola told reporters: “ We are happy with this new hat-trick and the quality of his finishing, but he was so involved in the game today. He didn’t lose a single ball and he played unbelievably, not only with the ball, but also defensively and offensively. He made an extra pass. I’m really happy for him.
“He’s playing much better in all areas. The details, he stays 20 minutes or half an hour after training sessions. Last season he wasn’t even there once because he wasn’t feeling well – tired, problems. He’s so intelligent that he needs the team and what he needs is for the team to give him more balls in the final third. We’re going to create those situations because the players are really good in small spaces.”
He added: “He’s unstoppable. There’s no central defender, not even with a weapon, to stop him. We need players who cross. We’re improving in that area. After that, we know how clinical he is. Everyone knows that.” The Cityzens will be back in action after the international break as they face Brentford at home on September 14 in a Premier League clash.
