Prolific Haaland close to goal milestone for Man City and Guardiola expects striker to get better

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — With Erling Haaland on the verge of an extraordinarily quick scoring milestone, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola knows he cannot expect too much more from his star striker.

Guardiola doesn’t think he’ll need to.

“The experience of playing game after game, they will improve,” Guardiola said of Haaland’s scoring numbers.

The Norway international has 99 goals in 103 games for City since joining in the summer of 2022.

No. 100 could come against Inter Milan in the Champions League on Wednesday.

“The more games he plays for this club, he will be a better player," Guardiola said. "And in a natural way. Not because we did something special or he practices something special, just a natural way.”

Haaland scored 52 times in 53 games in all competitions in his first season after arriving from Borussia Dortmund. That amazed Guardiola, because he said Haaland had muscular problems in the first few months and he “struggled a bit.”

This season, Guardiola continued, Haaland is free of injury and mentally fresh after having the summer off because Norway didn’t qualify for the European Championship.

By following up back-to-back hat tricks with two goals against Brentford in a 2-1 win in the English Premier League on Saturday, Haaland has nine goals in his opening four games of the season.

“I don’t expect every single game he scores three, two, three, two goals,” Guardiola said. “The moment it happens, it’s not a problem because I know the quality is there.

“But the difference to last season is he’s good, no problems, and when a player has that feeling, he can perform his best.”

Wednesday's match is a repeat of the 2023 Champions League final, which City won 1-0 — thanks to a second-half goal from Rodri — to become European champion for the first time.

Guardiola said he watched the game back for the first time on Monday but won't use it as a motivational tool for his players.

“About the inspiration and emotions, I'm so cold on that,” he said. “This is the first of eight games in the group stage. Tactically we just need to be present.”

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola reacts during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Brentford at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Scott Heppel)

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola attends a press conference at the City Football Academy in Manchester, England, Tuesday Sept. 17, 2024. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)

Manchester City's Erling Haaland kicks the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Brentford at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Scott Heppel)

Manchester City's Erling Haaland gives instructions to his players during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Brentford at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Scott Heppel)

Manchester City's Erling Haaland looks during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Brentford at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Scott Heppel)

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland (AP) — Nicolas Colsaerts of Belgium and Cameron John of Australia shared the lead at the Dunhill Links Championship, where players ranked outside the top 400 in the world shaded the big names and top golf leaders on Friday.

Jon Rahm, one of 14 players from Saudi-funded LIV Golf in the field, bogeyed two of his last three holes for a 71 at Kingsbarns and was six shots behind. Rory McIlroy, playing in a group with PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan, had a 69 at Kingsbarns and was eight back.

Colsaerts, a one-time Ryder Cup player who has fallen to No. 695 in the world, showed he hasn't lost his penchant for going low by making eight birdies for a 7-under 65 at Carnoustie.

John is No. 1,007 in the world ranking. He opened with a career-best 62 and followed that on Friday with a 68 at St. Andrews, his round slowed by taking two from a pot bunker and making double bogey on the par-5 fifth hole.

They were at 14-under 130, one shot ahead of David Law of Scotland (No. 454) and Darren Fichardt of South Africa (No. 462).

Law is trying to secure his European tour card and shot 67 at St. Andrews. Fichardt, who opened with a career-best 61, could manage only a 72 on the Old Course.

The tournament, featuring one professional and one amateur over three courses, began with Monahan playing alongside Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund that backs rival LIV Golf.

They are in the midst of trying to negotiate a deal in which the Public Investment Fund would become a minority investor in the commercial PGA Tour Enterprises.

Monahan, whose partner is Billy Horschel, played on Friday with McIlroy and his father. Al-Rumayyan has LIV player Dean Burmester as a partner. He played alongside golf power broker Johann Rupert of South Africa, who is largely responsible for this tournament.

Rupert told reporters on Thursday, "I have known Jay for a very long time, and I have got to know His Excellency (Al-Rumayyan) as well, and they both only have the best interests of golf at heart. We need to keep on having days like today. Golf is supposed to be a maker of friends.

“We have a war going on in Ukraine and a terrible situation in the Middle East and another war going on in Sudan and we argue about golf? Surely all we want to do is see the best players in the world playing together.”

The Dunhill Links through two days has provided an odd collection of players at the top, though the 41-year-old Colsaerts has been on a big stage previously.

He is best known for winning a fourballs match practically by himself at Medinah in the 2012 Ryder Cup. Colsaerts made eight birdies and an eagle as he and Lee Westwood beat Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker.

Colsaerts has only one win in the 12 years since that Ryder Cup, but found something at a tournament he loves playing.

“I've been playing pretty well since yesterday,” Colsaerts said. “St. Andrews, I really plotted my way around. But here (Carnoustie), it requires a little bit more of local knowledge. Having played in this definitely helps.”

He ran off three straight birdies around the turn, and then capped off three birdies in four holes late in the round, ending his run on the tough 17th.

“It all fit together,” Colsaerts said.

For McIlroy and Rahm and the other top players, they go to St. Andrews on Saturday. Monahan and Horschel will be with Rupert and Louis Oosthuizen, while McIlroy and his father play alongside Al-Rumayyan and Burmester.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Jay Monahan from the U.S. on the 10th on day one of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at Carnoustie, Angus, Scotland, Thursday Oct. 3, 2024. (Jane Barlow/PA via AP)

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy, left, and Billy Horschel of the U.S. react on the first tee on day two of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at Kingsbarns, Fife, Scotland, Friday Oct. 4, 2024. (Jane Barlow/PA via AP)

Rory McIlroy reacts after missing a putt on the first green on day two of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at Kingsbarns, Fife, Scotland, Friday Oct. 4, 2024. (Jane Barlow/PA via AP)

Yasir Al Rumayyan tees off the third on day two of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at Kingsbarns, Fife, Scotland, Friday Oct. 4, 2024. (Jane Barlow/PA via AP)