Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola appreciates Erling Haaland's optimisim after he struck another hat-trick in their FA Cup win against Burnley.

Haaland took his season's tally to 42 in Saturday's 6-0 FA Cup rout against Burnley, matching Cristiano Ronaldo's best tally for Manchester United when he won the Ballon d'Or.

The Norwegian will soon pass Mo Salah and Ruud van Nistelrooy's Premier League era record of 44 goals in all competitions, with Clive Allen's 49 for Tottenham in 1986/87 also under threat. Dixie Dean's 60 goals in the 1920s would be the ultimate personal achievement.

Guardiola said: "This guy (Haaland) will have a problem in the future because everyone will expect to him to get three or four every game, and that's not going to happen.

"But I know him, he doesn't care about that. He is so positive and optimistic in his life. He never complains and as long as the team plays with this intensity, he will score goals, though the exact target, I don't know.

"He is so effective and is such an incredible threat with his power. But his joy of life, always thinking good things will happen, that helps too."

Guardiola took Haaland off towards the end having also substituted him in midweek against Leipzig thereby denying him the chance to be the first player to score six goals in one Champions League.

The City manager, criticised on that occasion for robbing his player of the opportunity to surpass Lionel Messi's five for Barcelona against Leverkusen, came up with a quick one-liner when asked about substituting his centre-forward again.

"I didn't want him to break the record for Messi in the FA Cup," he quipped. "I try to punish my players – it is my intention!"