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Manchester City striker Erling Haaland spoke about the levels he can reach this season after an incredible start
Erling Haaland insists he is not close to the level of Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo - but feels good about breaking his own goal record this season.
The Norwegian was compared to the legendary duo by his Manchester City manager at the weekend after his brace against Bournemouth moved them up to second in the Premier League.
Haaland already has 26 goals for club and country from 16 appearances ahead of a Champions League game with former club Dortmund and blockbuster Premier League clash with champions Liverpool.
Having already become the youngest to 50 Champions League goals this season, Haaland is used to setting new milestones on a regular basis. And with six months of the campaign to go, the 25-year-old is nearly halfway to the total he plundered when City won the Treble and feeling on top of his game.
"I need to ask you which record - not to sound arrogant! If it's goals in a season, I got 36 in the Premier League and 56 in total with the national team so I'm in a good way," he said.
"But I don't think about this. Two days ago we had a game and that's history now, we need to focus on tomorrow. That's how my brain works and that's how I need to think because I need to think in the present.
"I'm in a good place and I'm taking good care of myself so I'm developing good.
"Even in pre-season when it was only two weeks, I felt really good, energised and in the end you need the energy to feel good and perform good. From the first second I felt overloaded with energy and ready to go again."
Haaland's goals have propelled City into the title race and Norway to the brink of qualifying for the World Cup, and such an impact will only boost his profile in world football.
The No.9 is in a high-profile goals race with Bayern's Harry Kane and Real's Kylian Mbappe as the leading goalscorers of their generation but Haaland will not entertain any ideas that he is on the same level as Messi and Ronaldo.
"No, not at all. Far off," he said. "No-one can get close to them."
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