Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has no doubt Erling Haaland is the best striker in the world.
The Norway international is going through an unusually quiet spell in front of goal, scoring just two in his last 12 appearances.
That contrasts sharply with his form earlier in the campaign, which saw him net 25 times in his previous 23 games.
“Erling is the best striker in the world,” Guardiola said pointedly when asked about his star forward at a press conference to preview Sunday’s Premier League trip to Liverpool.
Haaland started on the bench in the second leg of City’s Carabao Cup semi-final against Newcastle on Wednesday.
The feeling was Guardiola was resting the 25-year-old ahead of the crucial Anfield encounter but Omar Marmoush took his chance to shine in his place, scoring twice.
Asked if Haaland would come back into the side, Guardiola said: “I don’t know, we’ll decide tomorrow, but I always say Erling is the best.”
Pep 💬 (On if impressed with Marc Guéhi) A lot… He’s a great, great, great player, you can smell it, a great signing for five, six, seven years. He's top. He lives to be a good central defender. pic.twitter.com/ye2JJ0y7SB
— Manchester City (@ManCity) February 6, 2026
New signing Marc Guehi is set to return to the City side having been ineligible to feature in midweek.
The England centre-back, who moved to the Etihad Stadium from Crystal Palace for £20million last month, had been close to joining Liverpool last summer before a move collapsed on deadline day.
Guardiola is pleased City ultimately benefited from that failed transfer.
He said: “You can smell it – he’ll be a great, great signing for City for the next five, six, seven, eight years. Top.
“It’s the skills, the mentality, the professionalism, the way he leads. Many of the things you need to be a good, good central defender.”
Guardiola voiced his frustration in midweek that Guehi cannot play in the Carabao Cup final but accepts the rule is not going to be changed.
He said: “I know the rules are the rules – and I understand. I don’t understand why Antoine (Semenyo) can play but Marc can’t. But there’s a rule and it’s OK. We can agree to disagree.”
Second-placed City have dropped points in five of their last six Premier League games and can afford few further slip-ups if they are to keep the pressure on leaders Arsenal.
They face a Liverpool side this weekend who have failed to match the standards they set in winning title last season, but Guardiola says they are still a force to be reckoned with.
He said: “They remain an exceptional team with a top-class manager, no doubt. The moments are the moments, the seasons are the seasons.
First @ManCity appearance, first Man City clean sheet for Marc Guehi 🔐✅
The centre-back completed 95 passes in the Citizens’ 2-0 win over Wolves, the most of any player on the pitch 👏 pic.twitter.com/TIxrE14snx
— Premier League (@premierleague) January 24, 2026
“They’ve rebuilt the squad, not for one season, but for many years, so they always remain a good team.”
Friday marked the third anniversary of the day City were hit with more than 100 charges of breaches of the Premier League’s financial regulations. The matter remains unresolved.
Guardiola said: “It’s not in my hands. We await the resolution.”
