Bernardo Silva believes Erling Haaland is the only player he’s ever seen that gets close to the standards of compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Manchester City and Portugal star has a unique viewpoint of the two prolific marksmen, as one of the few players to have lined up with both. Haaland’s stunning start to life in Manchester has quickly drawn comparisons with 37-year-old Ronaldo, who last week chalked up the 700th goal of his club career.
Silva accepts that there is a long way to go before his club team-mate can be put on equal footing with his international one. However, he does believe that the young Norwegian is already on the right trajectory.
Silva told Arab News, via the Sun: “I was speaking with a few friends the other day and I said he is the only player who gets close to Cristiano in terms of knowing where the ball will land inside the box.
“He’s got that smell of knowing where it lands and he’s so quick and strong, which is not easy for the defenders. Can he reach the same standards? Well, I’m playing with Erling so I hope so but the standards are so high.
“Cristiano has won five Ballon d’Ors, five Champions Leagues. You never know what will happen in the future. Erling’s still very young, still got a lot to do but the mentality is there, so yes.”
City had already dominated the Premier League picture prior to Haaland’s arrival - winning four of the last five Premier League titles. But the addition of the 22-year-old has given them an air of invincibility.
And with 15 goals in his first nine league games, Silva believes Haaland already has the type of fear factor which Ronaldo has carried for the best part of 20 years.
“We have always had good results over the last few years but it’s true that now we have a player up front that is so strong, big,” he added.
“And the other teams fear a little bit of that. Personally, I feel if me and the other midfielders and defenders do our jobs properly then we have so much quality up front.
“Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden and Erling, they can decide the games, they can take care of the rest. But we have to do a proper job, control the rhythm of the game and then we know the weapons we have up front.”
Haaland will have a chance to add to his stunning early season tally when the champions head to Anfield to face Liverpool on Sunday. Jurgen Klopp, so often, irked when questions about opposition players are raised, was more than happy to heap praise on the striker running amok through English and European football.
“When you play against the best striker in the world you have to make sure he doesn’t get too many balls,” Klopp explained. “Erling combines so many things. It is rare that you have his finishing skills, that are obviously exceptional, but he moves really smart as well and that makes him tricky.”
