Incredible Haaland on Messi level — Pep Guardiola

Pep Guardiola has once again praised the goalscoring prowess of Erling Haaland, revealing the striker's hunger for goals is now at a level similar to Lionel Messi at his peak.

Haaland’s penalty in Sunday’s 2-1 victory at Fulham took the Norwegian to 50 goals for the season, including 34 in the Premier League, equalling the competition record set by Andy Cole and Alan Shearer.

Guardiola was in charge of Barcelona when Messi scored 73 times in the 2011-12 season and he was asked whether Haaland’s desire to score was at the same level as the Argentine World Cup winner. 

“In terms of goals and mentality, yeah,” he said. 

“But Messi has done it every season in the last 10-15. Erling since he started at Salzburg has got to the same level in terms of goals. It’s almost every game, he scores a goal.

“One or two every game, he had the chances to do it, but Messi is the most complete player I have seen in terms of vision, dribbles, passes, competitiveness, in many things that are difficult. 

"Hopefully Erling can be so close to Leo and if he does that, it will be great for us and him.”

Manchester City have a chance to go back to the top of the PL table with a win over West Ham at the Etihad on Wednesday night.