Erling Haaland is the best striker in the world – Man City boss Pep Guardiola

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has no doubt Erling Haaland is the best striker in the world.

The Norway international is going through an unusually quiet spell in front of goal, scoring just two in his last 12 appearances.

That contrasts sharply with his form earlier in the campaign, which saw him net 25 times in his previous 23 games.

“Erling is the best striker in the world,” Guardiola said pointedly when asked about his star forward at a press conference to preview Sunday’s Premier League trip to Liverpool.

Haaland started on the bench in the second leg of City’s Carabao Cup semi-final against Newcastle on Wednesday.

The feeling was Guardiola was resting the 25-year-old ahead of the crucial Anfield encounter but Omar Marmoush took his chance to shine in his place, scoring twice.

Asked if Haaland would come back into the side, Guardiola said: “I don’t know, we’ll decide tomorrow, but I always say Erling is the best.”

Pep