Erling Haaland was back to his best as Manchester City beat Bournemouth, scoring twice to send Pep Guardiola’s side up to second in the Premier League.
After failing to score in the loss to Aston Villa, the Norwegian striker returned to his usual form, netting two first-half goals in a 3-0 win at the Etihad Stadium.
Haaland even celebrated his first goal with a “robot dance,” reminding fans of Peter Crouch’s famous celebration. The English legend reacted online, joking, “I walked so they could run,” while Haaland playfully replied, “Guess I couldn’t hide it any longer…”
The 25-year-old has now scored 13 Premier League goals this season — eight of them doubles at home — and 26 overall for club and country. Though he missed a few chances for a hat-trick, his record remains remarkable.
After the match, Guardiola praised Haaland’s work ethic and compared his numbers to football greats Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
“Have you seen his numbers? Of course he’s at that level,” said Guardiola. “Messi and Cristiano have done it for 15 years, but Haaland’s hunger for goals is the same.
“He’s incredibly coachable, down to earth, and he lives for goals. Without him, it would be tough for us.”
