Pep Guardiola said Erling Haaland has now reached the same level as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo with his goalscoring after helping Manchester City to a 3-1 win against Bournemouth with a double at the Etihad.
Haaland leads the race for the Premier League Golden Boot with 11 goals so far this season -- five clear of four players on six goals -- and he is now just two league goals short of hitting the 100 mark for City.
But while his prolific start to the season has ensured that City now sit in second place in the Premier League, six points behind leaders Arsenal, no teammate has scored more than one league goal for Guardiola's side.
The City manager said that because of his dominance in the scoring charts, Haaland is now as reliable and ruthless as Messi and Ronaldo when they were at their peak.
"We played really good of course again, Erling was decisive," Guardiola said. "It's a little like when you play with Messi or Cristiano, you know? The influence is so big.
"Has he reached that level? You see the numbers of that guy? Oh my God, yeah, of course he's at their levels of the numbers from Cristiano and Messi.
"The difference of Cristiano and Messi, they have been doing it for 15 years. You see Messi still in MLS, he scores two or three goals every day. Cristiano and Saudi are the same.
"But he's at that level and without him, it would be tough."
Guardiola said that Haaland's determination to score, and his willingness to learn, are his key qualities.
"The way he shoots the ball, right? He shoots the ball, goes down the grass. it's like, 'I'm going to score,' Guardiola said.
"I have said many times, he is incredibly coachable and I am tough with him sometimes.
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"I always try to be open minded with him and there are players who say, 'what are you talking about?' He is completely down to earth, he wants to do it and he lives for the goals."
City face Liverpool at the Etihad next Sunday in a game that could decide the most likely challengers to Arsenal in the title race.
Guardiola said that, while Arsenal are "in a moment," he believes his own team are improving all the time.
"Hopefully Arsenal can concede one goal one day," Guardiola said.
"I had the feeling since the World Cup that we were in that moment. But it's just ten games, still 28 to play, many things are going to happen and feel that the team is getting better and better."
With 98 goals in 107 games, Haaland is on course to become the fastest player to reach 100 Premier League goals, surpassing Alan Shearer, who claimed the honour in 124 matches.
After the match, Guardiola took aim at referee Anthony Taylor and suggested he has become accustomed to decisions going against his team during his time in the Premier League.
"We conceded I'm sorry to tell you an unbelievable goal for the official," Guardiola said. "I'm one decade here and we know each other quite well, I'm so pleased with what we achieved with Man City despite everything.
"Come on, it's 10 years. So I know them ... I don't call [the officials]. I don't have time. My schedule is three games, I have games. I don't have time to waste my time talking. No, no, absolutely not.
"I said to him after when we see each other, tell me if it's a foul or not because I'm waiting. If it's a foul or not, just tell me. Just take a look. It's fine. They're brave here. In the Etihad they are brave, so brave."