Guardiola: "Haaland is better" than Alexander Isak | OneFootball

Interview

Guardiola: "Haaland is better" than Alexander Isak

The debate over who is the world’s best striker has taken center stage in the Premier League. This time, it’s a showdown between Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and Liverpool’s new sensation, Alexander Isak.

While Liverpool manager Arne Slot claimed Alexander Isak is "perhaps the best striker in the world", Pep Guardiola wasted no time in firing back to defend his star forward. "Haaland is the best," the Manchester City boss told Sky Sports ahead of the derby clash with Manchester United.

The Spaniard still acknowledged the quality of the Swedish international, who joined Liverpool this summer for a record fee of around 1.6 billion Swedish kronor. "Isak is an exceptional player. But Erling, as a pure number 9, is on another level," Guardiola insisted.

The debate is far from settled, especially with the stats fueling the rivalry: Isak netted 23 Premier League goals last season, just edging Haaland’s 22. This head-to-head promises to be one of the defining duels of the 2025/26 English campaign.