Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola hailed two-goal Erling Haaland after victory at Southampton.

The 4-1 win was highlighted by a superb bicycle kick from Haaland.

His figures are drawing comparisons with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo and Guardiola can understand why.

“Erling knows the other two guys dominated in two decades - not just one or two years, two decades, scoring and winning titles and doing absolutely everything," the boss said.

“I think football is a better place mainly thanks to Cristiano and Messi. For our business, the attraction of these two guys competing helped us.

“Erling is just 22-23 years old, arriving in the toughest league in the world - I can talk because I've been in other leagues - and doing it is remarkable."

Asked if he could emulate Messi and Ronaldo, Guardiola added: “I think the pressure he has is high, like the pressure that Messi had or Cristiano had.

“He has that if he doesn't score two or three goals it's 'what happened?' The thing is he scored. Not all the time two or three goals.

“The numbers he has right now at his age are unbelievable. Unbelievable."