Erling Haaland scored another two goals for Manchester City in their 3-1 win against Leeds United at Elland Road.
Pep Guardiola believes Erling Haaland isn’t yet back to his best after his injury lay-off, despite the Manchester City forward bringing up another Premier League record in the 3-1 win against Leeds.
Haaland struck twice at Elland Road and now has 20 Premier League goals in just 14 games, becoming the fastest player to that mark by seven games.
The 22-year-old has scored three times since the season resumed after the World Cup but he also missed three one-on-ones against Leeds and Guardiola has revealed he isn’t yet as sharp as he was at the start of the season.
Haaland picked up a painful foot injury in City ‘s goalless draw with Borussia Dortmund at the end of October and then didn’t start any of the next four games. He also trained only once during the warm-weather training camp to Abu Dhabi in December as he struggled to shake off the problem.
But he’s quickly rediscovered the Midas touch in front of goal, despite easing his way back to full fitness after the break for the World Cup.
“Of course we are delighted but that little pace he had at the beginning of the season, now he maybe struggle a little bit, but it’s a question of time,” said Guardiola.
“I am still more than satisfied but I had the feeling in the first part of the season he was sharper. When I see him moving and everything, he can do a little bit better.
“He was a long time injured. He was a long time ago, since Dortmund, playing Brentford but not perfectly. Then one-month holiday and after we restart he was not fit.
“When we started to train in Abu Dhabi he could not train one single day, maybe the last one. To move his huge body is not easy for him but as much as he can play, minutes, minutes, will be better.
“He could not train and then the game against Girona, he played 45/50 minutes and after he could not move his body. He was exhausted. After Liverpool was good for 70/75 minutes, he made an exceptional goal because always he is there.”
Guardiola believes Haaland will be extra motivated having been unable to play during the World Cup break, with Norway not qualifying for Qatar. He now has 26 goals for City in 20 games in all competitions and is on course to break the 40-goal barrier in the Premier League.
But he’s missed chances in his first two games back, notably in the very early stages of both games, and Guardiola believes both would have gone in had he been at his very best.
“What he has done here he has done in Norway, in Salzburg, in Dortmund. All we can do is try and play better and better and get more balls in the chances,” he said.
“I had the feeling in the first half of the season, in the first minute against Liverpool, and today the second minute against Leeds, it’s a goal. It is these details that are a little [less] sharp.
“But every cross, every action he is there. He has incredible sense; I didn’t teach him one concept about in the box. He moves really well and knows exactly where the ball is going to land.”