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Erling Haaland offered some interesting words on the former Liverpool center-back Sepp van den Berg after dominating and scoring against him in a 1-0 Manchester City win at Brentford.
Manchester City moved within two points of Liverpool with that win on Sunday, with Arsenal now leading the Premier League standings by a point. Haaland scored the only goal of the game at the Brentford Community Stadium, outmuscling $33 million (£25 million) Van den Berg and then drilling the ball past Caoimhin Kelleher.
"First five minutes, he [Van den Berg] just kept on pushing me so I said alright, let’s have it. So then I started pushing him back," Haaland said.
"For me this is a proper goal. This goal for me is top. This is for me one of my better goals. I think it helps me because I was a bit tired before the game; going into the game I was thinking it’s going to be tough.
"Then after 10 seconds, he started pushing me and it motivates me. All praise to him honestly, he made me want to do that."
Though Haaland's goal secured a big win for Manchester City, Pep Guardiola refused to be drawn on the state of the Premier League title race in the aftermath of the clash.
"It’s just seven games for the Premier League," he said. "I would say three weeks ago Liverpool apparently won the Premier League and now they have not.
"It’s important to see the team better and better. Liverpool is an incredible team, like Arsenal. The question is to improve and improve, the way we play, the way we defend, will help us to be close to fight."
Asked if he believes this season will see a lower points total be sufficient to lift the Premier League trophy, Guardiola insisted it was too early to tell.
"I don’t know," he said. "The previous seasons is higher, better, but I don’t know. One team can make an incredible run of points.
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"Your job (the media) is so brave because you say what is going to happen. I’m not able to do that. After seven games, make an analysis, it’s too early; there is momentum, injuries.
"In Monaco, I had the feeling we did many things good; today we defended better as a team. The way we are playing, not for 90 minutes, but we are better."
Liverpool.com says: Manchester City could be a contender this season if Haaland keeps scoring at this rate, but there are other concerns. Its midfield isn't perfect and lost Rodri to injury again, while its defense is taking a risk by leaving so much space in behind.
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