Pep Guardiola will never get sick of talking about Erling Haaland, but he insists comparisons to Lionel Messi are unwelcome.
The Manchester City boss has promised striker Haaland a holiday during the World Cup, because Norway have not qualified, and he may need a break in any case after a breathless start to his career in England.
Haaland has a staggering 14 goals from eight Premier League games already, and Mohamed Salah's record of 32 goals in a 38-game season already looks under serious threat. Kevin De Bruyne was City's top league scorer last season with 15.
Former Borussia Dortmund striker Haaland has stayed healthy and the goals have flowed, just as City's title rivals feared they would.
At this rate, Haaland could finish the season with the sort of haul Messi often brought in for Barcelona during his prime years, regularly scoring more than 50 across all competitions.
Guardiola has been fortunate to coach them both, and he was asked whether the attention foisted on Haaland was the most he has known since having Messi under his wing at Barcelona.
"The people who compare Erling with Leo, I think we don't help," Guardiola said. "How many 'new Messis' appeared in the world of football since I started? Ten, 15?
"Always you fail. Erling has to do his own career, his own job. He's a different player."
Guardiola pointed to the number of times he is asked about Haaland. He also suggested that within other teams, such focus on a big-time player might cause unrest.
"For me, it's OK," Guardiola said. "We're fortunate that the guys who are here accept it perfectly. At other clubs, other people, would not like it.
"Here they are delighted. We have Kevin [De Bruyne] who is an exceptional person and is happy to have him, because both know they can be better playing alongside [each other].
"The same for all of them. We don't have incredible players who say, 'Why do they always talk about just him?'.
"This is why it's a joy to train this type of players."
Guardiola said he would rather Haaland was playing at the World Cup.
"But he's young, and he'll have an opportunity in four years," added the City boss. "Fans want to see the best players possible and Erling is one of them."
With three hat-tricks in his last three Premier League home games, capped by last week's treble against Manchester United, Haaland is on a special streak.
Southampton visit the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, and while they held City to home and away draws last season, that was before Haaland arrived.
City are the only unbeaten team in the Premier League, following Tottenham's defeat to Arsenal last week, and have won their last eight home games in the competition, scoring three or more goals each time.
Aston Villa were the last team to have a longer run of top-flight home wins while scoring three-plus goals in each game, putting a run of 13 together between December 1930 and September 1931.
Perhaps City will threaten that mark, if Haaland stays fit and in form. Guardiola is bewitched by his striker's movement and how he reads play.
"It's just the fact there's a deflection, and he's there. Why does the ball finish where he is?" said the Spaniard.
"What can I teach? It's complete instincts, it's natural. He did it in Norway, in Austria, in Germany, and he's doing it here."
And yet Guardiola still feels Haaland can improve.
"Every player knows, 'I can do better'," said Guardiola. "In our life we have a chance to always improve until we die, and he's not an exception."
Guardiola is not blind to the potential for Haaland to break records this season.
"It would be good," Guardiola said. "If he continues this rhythm, then you don't have to be a clever person to realise it, but who knows.
"After the Community Shield some people had a lot of doubts; now they have a lot of certainties.
"At the end of the season we'll see, okay, he's scored how many goals, how many chances have we had to win the titles?"
Vlaar: Slot is the right fit for Liverpool
Former Dutch defender Ron Vlaar believes that Arne Slot will not need time to adapt to the Premier League when he takes over as Liverpool manager.
It was reported last week that Feyenoord and Liverpool had reached an agreement in principle for Slot to take over from Jurgen Klopp next season.
The Dutchman led Feyenoord to their second Eredivisie title last season after taking over the club in 2021, and his attacking style of play has been likened to that of Klopp’s.
Vlaar, who played under Slot at AZ Alkmaar, is confident that his former coach will not take long to settle in on Merseyside.
“He could, but I hope not. It's quite similar to what they already have now, but it's a new coach, so they will always change some things,” he told Stats Perform.
“Hopefully it's more in the details. And I think he will show that with videos of how he wants to play for other teams. When he coached me, he used Liverpool as an example.
“I don’t know what other examples he’ll use now he’s the coach of Liverpool. I think the players are smart enough to recognise it. They have to build on some trust with each other. If he can manage that, and he can do that, then I think it will all be fine.”
Klopp, who announced he would be leaving Liverpool after nearly nine years at the club in January, has given his backing to Slot’s appointment at the club, stating that he likes his attacking style of play.
Among teams in the top ten European leagues, only Benfica, Cercle Brugge and Man City have won possession in the final third more often per game than Feyenoord (6.87) this season. Equally, only Bayern Munich and PSV have a higher xG than Feyenoord in their domestic leagues this season (82.95).
Vlaar also recognises the similarity in both coaches’ styles, saying: “I played under Arne at AZ Alkmaar, and we were high up on the pitch, pressing high, standing on halfway line so the pressure needs to be very good then from the forwards as well.
“I think that's quite similar if you look to Liverpool nowadays. So I think they’re comparable coaches. Arne Slot hasn’t achieved what Jurgen Klopp has achieved so far, but the club showed that giving Klopp some time paid off. So, I hope Arne can build on that.”
Twenty players have played in ten or more games in the Eredivisie for Feyenoord this season, with only four of them over the age of twenty-six, and Slot has been praised for his track record of improving young talent and man-management style.
“He's very open and clear. So I think everyone knows what they’re getting. It's really straightforward and he's open about it. I think that's a good thing,” Vlaar added.
“Dedicated, energetic, and he tries to help the team as much as possible. He will coach players if needed. And I think that's what he is, how he's like.
“I'm really happy for him because this is a massive club, one of the biggest clubs in the world. And that's a big step forward for him, coming from Feyenoord and going to Liverpool.”
Former Spain boss Del Bosque to oversee RFEF
Former Spain boss Vicente del Bosque will oversee a new committee supervising the RFEF.
Spain, which is due to be one of six host countries for the 2030 World Cup, announced the creation of a special committee until the federation holds elections to replace Luis Rubiales.
That is despite Pedro Rocha having this week been appointed as Rubiales' replacement, though he himself is under investigation amid a corruption probe.
Rubiales was dismissed following his unsolicited kiss on Jenni Hermoso during the Women's World Cup trophy ceremony in 2023.
The federation's former president was then arrested in early April as part of a corruption investigation.
Del Bosque led Spain to three consecutive trophies, winning the European Championships in 2008 and 2012, while also leading the team to their first World Cup success in 2010.
Prior to his time with the national team, he also won two Champions Leagues and two LaLiga titles while in charge of Real Madrid, where he made over 400 appearances as a player.
Preston 0-3 Leicester City: Foxes seal Championship title in style
Leicester City cruised to a 3-0 win over Preston in the Championship on Monday to clinch the title with a game to spare.
Jamie Vardy was the star for the Foxes as he scored in both halves before Kasey McAteer made sure of the points with an unmarked header.
Abdul Fatawu had the chance to cap an already memorable night for the travelling fans but hit the post with his curler.
Preston slumped to a fourth consecutive defeat, while Leicester go into their final game against Blackburn Rovers with the knowledge that they will lift the trophy after the final whistle.
Data Debrief
Jamie Vardy has scored 18 goals this season (two in this game), more than any other Leicester player in the competition. He has also netted in his last three games, scoring four goals in total.
It was a dominant performance from the Foxes, who had 19 shots with 11 of those on target. At the other end, Preston only managed to test Jakub Stolarczyk once from their five attempts.
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