Pep Guardiola said “special striker” Erling Haaland richly deserved the guard of honour by his Manchester City team-mates after breaking the Premier League single-season scoring record.
The 22-year-old has made a mockery of those doubting whether he could repeat his goalscoring feats after last summer’s switch from Borussia Dortmund to the Etihad Stadium.
Haaland took his tally to 51 in all competitions on Wednesday night, when his cool finish moved his Premier League haul on to 35 and broke Andy Cole and Alan Shearer’s competition record.
The Norway international scored between Nathan Ake and Phil Foden’s efforts in a 3-0 win against West Ham that was followed by what Guardiola says was a pre-planned guard of honour.
“It was (special), I think he deserved it,” the City boss said. “All the team deserved it because without the team he couldn’t do it, but he is a special striker.
“We are very pleased for him because he is a joy, not just to work with him as a manager. I think everyone is happy to have him with us.
“Of course this record will be broken sooner or later, maybe by him in the future or maybe another one but they’ll have to score a lot of goals because he scored a lot.
“Of course (we planned the guard of honour). We thought about that and in football when there is a special occasion, we have to show how special it is.
“Today it was with Erling. Another one, another day will happen but of course to score and overcome the position of Andy Cole and Alan Shearer – incredible, top, top strikers – is special.”
Guardiola said “we cannot achieve many things without a good striker”, namechecking previous City frontmen like Sergio Aguero, Gabriel Jesus, Edin Dzeko and Mario Balotelli.
But this night was all about Haaland, who still has five Premier League matches to increase his eye-watering record even further.
“At the end when you buy a player in Erling we know he score goals everywhere and we thought he could do it (here),” Guardiola said.
“But at the end we don’t know. You have to work and see the process.
“He understands what we want to do, the players understand his movement and whatever, so a question of time.
“The impact or how he adjusted to the league was so quick.
“The first two goals was against West Ham. It’s a coincidence as he breaks the record against West Ham when he scored the first goals against them.
“Immediately we saw he is a guy when you provide him with balls, he scores in all situations – except free kicks, but maybe in the future.
“But penalties, crosses, combinations and transitions, he is a guy who can do many, many things. That’s why he scored a lot of goals.”
Haaland’s latest goal helped calm any nerves at the Etihad Stadium, with Wednesday’s victory seeing title favourites City usurp Arsenal and reclaim top spot.
“I said after Arsenal (last week) when everybody said it’s over, I said it was not over in my press conference,” Guardiola said of the 4-1 win last midweek.
“Yesterday Arsenal proved it. They will not give up. I know quite well Mikel (Arteta), how competitive he is and I know a few players.
“Arsenal is one of the historical teams and they will be there. I said to the players.”
As for West Ham, the 3-0 defeat came on a night when illness ruled out Declan Rice, Nayef Aguerd and Tomas Soucek on the day of the game.
David Moyes, whose side face Manchester United on Sunday, said: “I have got to hope they are (back).
“Two of them we’re not sure if it’s maybe a bit of food poisoning they’ve picked up whether at the training ground or hotel.
“One of them we think has got a virus, so, I’m not a doctor, whether antibiotics fix that not quickly or how you work it I’m not quite sure.
“So, hopefully they’ll have a chance for the weekend but I think the biggest thing I have to praise the players who came in and did such a good job.
“For long periods against a really good team we made it quite difficult”
Players 'close' to striking over fixture congestion, warns Rodri
Players could go on strike over the amount of games they are required to play, Rodri warned on the eve of Manchester City's Champions League opener versus Inter.
The 2024-25 edition of the Champions League will be the first to use a new format featuring 36 teams, with each side now required to play eight group-stage games, rather than six.
Meanwhile, City will be one of 32 teams to take part in FIFA's expanded Club World Cup at the end of the season, a tournament that has drawn stern criticism from many within the game.
City navigated 61 games when winning the treble two seasons ago but could be set for a far more rigorous schedule this term, leaving Rodri to warn a players' strike could lie ahead.
"I think we're close to that [striking]," Rodri told reporters. "It's the general opinion of the players, and if it keeps this way, we'll have no other option.
"I really think it's something that worries us. We are the guys who suffer."
The optimal number of games "in which a player can perform at the highest level," the Spaniard added, is "between 40 and 50".
"After that, you drop because it's impossible to sustain the physical level," he added. "This year, we're going to go until 70, maybe 80, depends on how far you go into competitions.
"I think it's too much. We have to take care of ourselves, because we are the main characters of this sport or business.
"Not everything is money or marketing, it is also the quality of the show. When I rest, when I'm not tired, I perform better. And if people want to see better football, we need to rest."
Last season, the 28-year-old's campaign extended through to Spain's Euro 2024 final victory on July 14, as did those of City team-mates Kyle Walker, John Stones and Phil Foden, who finished as runners-up with England.
City defender Manuel Akanji recently joked he may have to retire at 30 because of the gruelling schedule.
"It's so tough," the defender said. "You don't just think about this season, but also next season.
"Let's say we win the league or cup, then go to the final of the Club World Cup; the Community Shield is three weeks after. When do we have holidays?"
On Wednesday, City host Inter in a repeat of the 2023 Champions League final, won by the English side courtesy of Rodri's strike.
City forward Erling Haaland is eyeing a piece of history as he could overtake Cristiano Ronaldo as the fastest player to reach 100 goals for a single club, having scored 99 goals in 103 appearances in all competitions, including nine in four league games this season. Ronaldo netted 100 in his first 105 matches for Real Madrid.
"I played for 11 years and scored 11 goals. This guy, in four games he's scored nine," boss Pep Guardiola said with a laugh.
"The opponents will find a solution, and we have to find a solution to beat them, to find a way."
Jorginho: Arsenal players laughing at Haaland form for Man City
Jorginho has said the form of Manchester City striker Erling Haaland is making him and his Arsenal team-mates laugh ahead of next weekend's meeting.
Haaland netted two more goals for City in Saturday's 2-1 comeback win over Brentford at the Etihad Stadium to maintain his side's perfect start.
That took the striker to nine goals across City's first four Premier League games this season - the most any player has scored in the competition's history at this stage.
Arsenal are the next side tasked with attempting to keep Haaland quiet in next weekend's showdown between the division's top-two sides.
Despite Haaland's superb form to begin the campaign, Jorginho insists Arsenal are unfazed heading into Sunday's battle in Manchester.
"Erling scoring again... it is starting to make us laugh," he said. "We look because we watch all the games and we love the Premier League.
"We watch [City] as well, which is normal. It doesn't get to our head. We need to focus on us and that is what we are trying to do."
Last season's runners-up Arsenal are two points behind early pacesetters City after winning three and drawing one of their opening four matches.
Mikel Arteta's men managed to grind out a 1-0 win in their North London derby with Tottenham at the weekend thanks to a Gabriel header.
Arsenal were without key midfield pair Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard, owing to suspension and injury respectively, but still got the job done.
"You learn more about each other," said Jorginho, who replaced Rice in midfield. "Everyone wants to improve and wants the best for the team.
"When you put the team in first place I think just good things can happen. Keep believing in what you are doing. I think we are on the right way."
Arsenal travel to Atalanta for their opening Champions League game on Thursday, but one eye is undoubtedly on the trip to City three days later.
"If you want to achieve big things you need to have the mentality of trying to win every single game," Jorginho said.
"That is what we need to do and that is what we want to do. That is what we are trying to do. You need to keep in this way.
"Keep believing in what you're doing. We are believing in what we are doing and we keep working hard to improve on what we need to improve."
Frank aims to 'find solutions' after being dealt Wissa injury update
Brentford head coach Thomas Frank confirmed striker Yoane Wissa will be sidelined for "a couple of months" after picking up an ankle injury against Manchester City.
Wissa, who netted the fastest ever goal that Brentford have scored in the Premier League against the champions on Saturday, hobbled off in first half injury time.
The DR Congo international was on the receiving end of a heavy challenge by City midfielder Mateo Kovacic and is expected to return to action in November.
It serves as a significant blow for Frank, with Wissa having been directly involved in 10 goals across his last nine appearances in the top-flight for the Bees.
"Wissa is, unfortunately, not good news - it looks like an injury that will be a couple of months," Frank said.
"It's very frustrating. We talked about our many injuries last year - I hope I don't have to talk too much about it this year. I maybe already have.
"We were unlucky with Igor [Thiago], unlucky with [Aaron] Hickey. We've then had two contact injuries with Mathias Jensen and Yoane Wissa, so that's very frustrating.
"But that's part of football - we move on and we will find solutions."
Following the departure of Ivan Toney to Al-Ahli during the transfer window, Wissa has stepped up with three goals in the Brentford's four Premier League games.
The 28-year-old has outperformed his expected goals (xG) tally by 0.57 so far this term, while his four chances created is a total only bettered by Mathias Jensen (six) and Bryan Mbeumo (10) in the Brentford squad.
But with striker and record signing Igor Thiago also out injured and not expected to return until the end of the year, Frank acknowledged the enormity of the gap he needed to fill in Wissa's absence.
"Everybody was saying we bought Igor Thiago to replace Ivan [Toney] - but we still had Wissa," Frank concluded.
"We bought Igor Thiago to build the squad and provide competition in the squad.
"Wissa had a very good season last year and I thought he has started the season very well this year, with three goals in four games - that's a very good number.
"He's just been very important for us and that's going to leave a hole. But, again, I will find a solution."
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