Pep Guardiola hails Haaland following Manchester derby hat trick

Manchester City head coach Pep Guardiola has heaped praises on his star player Erling Haaland after his hat trick in the Manchester derby.

The 22-year-old forward scored three goals and made two assist as Man City thrashed Man United 6-3 on Sunday afternoon. Haaland’s hat trick yesterday means he has scored a hat trick in three consecutive games at the Etihad Stadium.

Speaking after the game, Pep Guardiola said: “The numbers speak for himself. He has done this before here. It is not our way. Always we try to help him in our environment. We have this incredible sense that he always looks starving and is so competitive.

“Of course, the quality we have alongside him helps him to score goals. But what he has done, I didn’t teach him once.

“When the ball is right, and he attacks the box, how he moves behind the central defender away from the action, he has incredible instincts that the ball will arrive there and it comes from his mum and dad. He was born with that and [we] just help him produce more goals.”