Guardiola: Record-breaking Haaland a ‘special talent’

Pep Guardiola labelled Erling Haaland a “special talent” after the striker scored a perfect first-half hat-trick in Manchester City’s 6-0 thrashing of Nottingham Forest on Wednesday.

Haaland, who is averaging a goal every 43 minutes since arriving in the Premier League, has now made the most prolific start to a career in the competition on record.

His third goal against Forest, scored with a close-range header after 38 minutes, was his ninth in five Premier League outings, bettering the eight-goal hauls managed by Sergio Aguero and Micky Quinn through their first five appearances in the competition.

Haaland needed just 16 touches to score his treble, and Guardiola is delighted to see the striker sending records tumbling so early in his Premier League career.

“I know he is happy and scoring goals, but I think what he wants is to win,” Guardiola told BT Sport.

“The records are okay, if you withdraw the records and he cannot score goals, we cannot win some games. I’m pretty sure he would not like it. 

“He’s a special talent, he has an incredible sense of goals. He didn’t touch one ball and his first touch is a goal, so… he is Erling.