Guardiola: The level of our performance this season has exceeded my expectations

In the third round of the Premier League, Haaland scored a hat-trick for the second consecutive game, while Dias contributed an own goal. Eventually, Manchester City defeated West Ham United 3-1 away from home. After the match, Manchester City’s manager, Pep Guardiola, spoke to the media.

Guardiola said, “The game was very open, we didn’t finish our attacks well, and when they (Bowen, Paqueta, and Kudus) were able to counterattack, it was dangerous for us. After Gündogan came on, we regained control. The level of our play this season has exceeded my expectations; it has been quite high.”

Talking about Haaland: “He has performed at his utmost, it’s hard to describe how strong he is in words. All we can do is help him improve even more and try to get the ball into the box as much as possible. This is what we have to do. We are there, adding quality. It’s a team effort. When it’s time to retreat defensively, no one asks who should do it; everyone must contribute. When we see Haaland doing this, it feels great.”

Talking about Lopetegui: “He is a close friend and one of the best coaches I’ve ever met. All coaches tend to start well in their first season, but we haven’t won anything yet. It’s just a matter of time, and he will achieve success. We’ve been friends for years, and I wish him all the best.”

Currently, Manchester City sits atop the Premier League with three wins and nine points from three matches, while their star forward Haaland leads the goalscoring charts with seven goals in three games.