Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says no player in world football can compete with the standards set by Erling Haaland at his age as he challenged the striker to continue improving.
Haaland made history on Sunday by becoming the first player to score hat-tricks in three successive home Premier League matches as City thumped rivals Manchester United 6-3.
The Norway international has 17 goals in 11 appearances in all competitions since arriving at the Etihad Stadium from Borussia Dortmund, where he tallied a prolific 86 goals in 89 games.
Aged 22 years and 47 days, Haaland last month overtook Kylian Mbappe as the youngest player to net 25 Champions League goals, also doing so in the quickest time (20 games).
And Guardiola believes "the numbers speak for themselves" when it comes to Haaland, who will be looking to add to his growing tally in Wednesday's Champions League Group G tie with Copenhagen.
"At his age no one can compete with him. No one," Guardiola said. "We are very happy to have him. In training he is the same – sometimes he does some spectacular things. We are incredibly happy to have him."
Haaland is averaging a goal every 48 minutes in the Premier League, which is the best rate of anyone to have scored more than once in the competition's history.
He has found the net from 42 per cent of his shots (14 goals from 33 attempts) – the best conversion rate of any player with at least 20 efforts since such records were first recorded in the 2003-04 campaign.
Phil Foden, himself aged just 22, scored a hat-trick of his own in the derby thrashing of United and received strong plaudits from his manager.
"He's an exceptional player who has grown up a lot," Guardiola said at Tuesday's pre-Copenhagen press conference.
"He's reliable, so intense and clever in everything he does. He can also play every three days. Both he and Haaland know they can do better and hopefully they can do it."
City's win against United was their fourth in a row in all competitions as they extended their unbeaten run to 11 matches.
The reigning English champions are top of their Champions League group thanks to wins over Sevilla and Borussia Dortmund, whereas Copenhagen have just one point and have yet to score.
Indeed, the Danish side have only scored one goal in six Champions League matches against English opponents, with that goal the winner from Marcus Allback in a 1-0 win over United in November 2006.
But with many predicting a routine home victory on Wednesday, Guardiola admits he faces a challenge ensuring his players maintain their high standards no matter who the opposition.
"That's the problem. After the game versus United, it's the biggest issue," said Guardiola, who confirmed Kyle Walker will play no part due to injury.
"Hopefully I can show them to pay lots of attention. It's not easy to break the structure [Copenhagen] had against Sevilla. I know exactly what they are able to do.
"They have quality. From goal-kicks, when they have the ball, they don't just play it long. They have courage to play and we have to force them to play long balls. I was surprised how many things they do."
Bucks confident of returning to the top after Lillard trade
Damian Lillard will be tasked with helping the Milwaukee Bucks return to the top of the NBA after his trade from the Portland Trail Blazers.
Star guard Lillard signed for the Bucks on Wednesday in a three-way trade – which also included the Phoenix Suns – that saw Jrue Holiday, Deandre Ayton and Toumani Camara on the move too.
Lillard leaves Portland after 11 years with the Trail Blazers. He is a seven-time All-Star and enjoyed a career-best season in 2022-23, averaging 32.2 points and 7.3 assists, though he did sit out the final month of the season due to injury.
Now, the Bucks – the 2021 NBA Champions – will be hoping that Lillard can combine with two-time league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo to push them towards another title, following a disappointing first-round exit at the hands of the Miami Heat in last season's playoffs.
Fast Fact
Despite missing the last 10 games of the season, Lillard (1,866) was Portland's highest points scorer last term by over 500, with Anfernee Simons next best for the Trail Blazers with 1,306.
Lillard a difference-maker
"His character, competitiveness, talent and experience complement our group and gives us the best chance to win at the very highest level as we create new memories together," Bucks general manager Jon Horst said of Lillard.
So, does Lillard have what it takes to make the difference for the Bucks?
Lillard leaves Portland as a franchise great. He ranks first in team history in points and three-pointers and second in assists. Including the playoffs, he had 17 games with 50+ points for the Blazers. All other players in franchise history have only combined for seven 50-point games. He is a big-game player, and he should help ease the burden on Antetokounmpo.
Chaos at Scunthorpe – Owner ends funding with club forced to leave Glanford Park
The future of Scunthorpe has taken another bleak turn after owner David Hilton decided to withdraw his funding, with the club forced to play away from their Glanford Park home.
Now plying their trade in the National League North, Scunthorpe were in the Championship just 13 years ago but now face the continued, very real threat of extinction.
To only complicate matters further, following an announcement they would leave Glanford Park to play their home games at Gainsborough Trinity, their near-neighbours from the Northern League insisted that statement was issued without their “knowledge or consent”.
The Iron confirmed on Thursday afternoon that Hilton had opted to pull his money out of the beleaguered club.
“The club owner and chairman has recently notified the board of directors of his decision to withdraw his funding from the club moving forward,” a statement read.
“He has also notified them that he feels his position at the club is untenable, and is actively seeking a way out. Based on this information, both Ian Dawson and Tahina Akther have decided to resign from their positions with immediate affect.
“We can confirm that numerous parties have made contact with the club with a view to taking over, but faced with stadium issues, numerous litigation proceedings and winding up petitions no potential purchasers are looking to move forward. This includes the consortium of local business people and supporters.
“The chairman and remaining board members have now set out a plan in order to very quickly make the club sustainable.”
The statement went on to confirm they would host their upcoming home games against Buxton and Brackley Town at Glanford Park before relocating due to a dispute with land owners Coolsilk, run by former Scunthorpe owner Peter Swann.
“The club will vacate Glanford Park after the Brackley Town fixture and fulfill the season’s fixtures across at Gainsborough Trinity,” the statement continued.
“This is not a day-to-day cost cutting exercise. This is due to Coolsilk refusing to engage with the club and demanding vacant possession before they will begin to do so.
“This is also due to the risk the club faces of being liable for hundreds of thousands of pounds in legal fees and back dated market rent, along with significant monthly legal costs of our own that will certainly impact any attempts to create sustainability.
“In any case, Coolsilk own the property and will undoubtedly get possession back at some point, and therefore it is no longer viable without the financial support of the chairman to put the club at risk with such a gamble to merely guarantee a few extra months at the stadium.”
Despite announcing they would play their games 16 miles away at the Gainsborough Martin & Co Arena – Trinity insist they have not signed off on any such agreement.
“Gainsborough Trinity FC are aware of a statement issued today by Scunthorpe United,” they said in their own statement.
“This statement was issued without the knowledge or consent of Gainsborough Trinity.
“Whilst the club has always been clear that any requests from Scunthorpe United to play fixtures at the KAL Group Stadium would be considered, this would always have to be done by due process which would involve both clubs and the ground owner.”
Scunthorpe currently sit fourth in the National League North and have lost just one of their opening nine league games of the campaign.
Ballon d'Or nominee Bonmatí 'like Zidane', says Pauleta
Aitana Bonmati's similarities to Zinedine Zidane are part of the qualities that should win her the upcoming Ballon d'Or, according to former Portugal international Pauleta.
Bonmati's incredible form in the 2022-23 season helped Barcelona to a magnificent treble, recording a competition-leading 12 goal involvements as the Blaugrana claimed Champions League glory, before she also played a major role in Australia and New Zealand as her national team Spain won the Women's World Cup for the first time.
Bonmati was given the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player, and the midfielder is the favourite to collect more individual silverware in the near future having been named among the nominees to pick up the Ballon d'Or, the winner of which will be announced at a ceremony in Paris in late October.
Pauleta fully expects Bonmati to be named the 2022-23 season's best player, pointing to Zidane, the winner of the men's Ballon d'Or in 1998, as a star Bonmati shares traits with.
When asked who she thought should claim the trophy, Pauleta told Stats Perform at the Thinking Football Summit: "I say Aitana [Bonmati] because she had an incredible season with Barcelona and Spain.
"I played against her in the Champions League. I felt something about [Zinedine] Zidane in her game. She's aggressive but with the ball, she's so sweet. She always puts the ball where it needs to be.
"The game is better when she is playing. She has this quality that makes her play beautifully."
Among the other nominees competing with Bonmati is Mary Earps, the Manchester United and England goalkeeper who won the Golden Glove at the World Cup as the tournament's best shot-stopper, saving a penalty from Bonmati's Spain team-mate Jennifer Hermoso in the final.
Prior to her heroics with the Lionesses, Earps had helped United to a strong Women's Super League campaign as well as the club's first-ever FA Cup final.
Fellow goalkeeper Patricia Morais believes Earps should become the first Ballon d'or winner from their position, saying: "I think it will be the England goalkeeper [Earps], for sure. I have no doubt that she will win.
"She's a world-class goalkeeper. She deserves it because I like her style, how she plays football and I identify myself with her."
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