‘We could have scored MORE goals’: Guardiola insists Man City could have been even better in front of goal

Typically, Pep Guardiola has been poking holes in Manchester City’s mauling of their bitter rivals.

The City manager was unfazed by some of his players’ “sloppiness” despite scoring six goals against Manchester United with hat-tricks from Phil Foden and Erling Haaland.

United scored three times in the second half to take some of the shine off City’s display.

Pep Guardiola admitted there was still room for improvement after beating Man United 6-3

Phil Foden (left) scored a hat-trick as City dominated their local rivals at the Etihad Stadium

The champions, the only club yet to lose this season, are a point behind leaders Arsenal.

“Perfection doesn’t exist, it’s impossible. But we have to try to look there,” said Guardiola. “We did well, we can do better. Many, many players made sloppy passes. This is not good. We have to be more consistent.

“In some areas we weren’t good yet, in the simple things we’re not good enough. We lose easy balls. We still conceded some actions for the opponent with simple things that we didn’t do well.’

Haaland’s phenomenal record in England continued after he netted a hat-trick at home for a third straight season, the only player to ever pull off the feat. He also erased the record for the fastest player to score three hat-tricks in the top flight. Haaland, 22, now has 14 goals in eight league games.

Erling Haaland also scored his third Premier League hat-trick of the season on Sunday

“What I like in the final stages of the game is that he’s involved,” Guardiola added.

“He said (earlier in the season) ‘I prefer to touch the ball five times and score five goals.’ I don’t like that, I want him to touch the ball more and more.

“I like that he’s more involved but don’t forget his greatest talent is putting the ball in the net. He has an incredible instinct that the ball will come and it comes from his mother and father, he was born with it.

Haaland’s father Alfie was spotted dancing the ‘Poznan’ in the second half – where fans turned their backs on the game and jumped up and down. Haaland and Foden each took a different match ball home.

Guardiola added: “We have this incredible feeling that Erling always looks starved and he’s so competitive. The numbers are frightening, honestly. He came here and realized, “Oh these guys, my buddies, run like an animal and I have to do it too”. He will take a break. There will be games he doesn’t play.’

The Manchester City manager said: ‘Some players weren’t good today and need to improve’

Haaland believes a disappointing debut for City in the Community Shield loss to Liverpool was a catalyst in their stunning start.

“My confidence is good, it was always good,” said Haaland. “Having played Liverpool in the Community Shield it was still good afterwards. It was good that the match came about, I thought: I have to be a little bit more ready.

“I had a feeling ahead of the (United) game that something special was going to happen and we saw some special things happen today.

‘It was nice. On Friday I felt it all over the training ground. It’s these games that I want to play. These are the best games where there is a little bit more.

“It could have been more and in the second half we should have been closer and worked a little harder because it was a bit sloppy at times. We lost the second half and that’s not good, so we still have work to do.’