Pep Guardiola accepts that Erling Haaland cannot continue at a strike rate of almost two goals per game after the Manchester City No 9’s first five league matches.
The 22-year-old scored a second consecutive hat-trick in Wednesday’s 6-0 defeat of Nottingham Forest to make his total nine goals as City took their points tally to 15 from the opening six matches. The manager was asked whether Haaland’s prolific start was causing unrealistic expectations.
Guardiola said: “People can expect it, it’s nice, it’s good. I’d prefer that – I want him to expect it too. I like that he wants to score three goals every game but this is not going to happen. I know it’s not going to happen, everyone in the world of …