Pep Guardiola has warned Premier League defences that Erling Haaland will get better "step by step" in the Premier League.
The £85.5million man faces Newcastle in his next Premier League game after failing to get on the score sheet against AFC Bournemouth last weekend as Manchester City ran out 4-0 winners over AFC Bournemouth. Haaland had scored twice on his top-flight bow at West Ham the previous week.
His next test in the Premier League comes against Newcastle with Guardiola knowing that some defences will make life difficult for the Norway star.
Guardiola said: "When you have a striker and you play against two central defenders and two holding midfielders, you are surrounded by four or five players and it's the most difficult job in the world.
"Maybe in some games, we will find this type of defence but with time he will make the right movements with the right tempo and the ball will come to him. But he still made an incredible assist for the first goal and step by step he is going to understand."
Haaland already has 127 club goals to his name and Guardiola knows he has to sit back and wait to be rewarded. City were so confident in Haaland they sold Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus in the summer to rivals Chelsea and Arsenal no less.
Guardiola said: "Erling played the 90 minutes against West Ham his first for four months. So step by step for him. It's been hot and warm but step by step he will find the connection with our players. The guy has goals in his body but everybody is involved scoring goals."
One of the talking points of last weekend came when Phil Foden did not square the ball to Haaland. Guardiola, asked by Match of the Day, said: "He didn't see him I guess but now he has to know Erling will be there all the time.
"In the past with a false 9 maybe not, but now this guy lives there. We just need time to know each other and always be there."
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