Pep Guardiola has challenged Erling Haaland to become a Manchester City legend after the Norway striker’s second successive hat-trick inspired a 6-0 rout of Nottingham Forest on Wednesday.

Haaland demolished Forest with a blistering 26-minute treble in the first half at the Etihad Stadium, just four days after he scored three against Crystal Palace.

The 22-year-old is the first player in the Premier League era to net nine times in his first five appearances in the competition, breaking a record shared by former City icon Sergio Aguero and Micky Quinn.

Haaland still has a long way to go to catch up with Aguero, City’s record scorer, but Guardiola is confident his close-season signing from Borussia Dortmund can write himself into the club’s folklore.

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