Manchester City midfielder compare team-mate Erling Haaland to Cristiano Ronaldo

Bernardo Silva believes Manchester City team-mate Erling Haaland is the only player that comes close to Cristiano Ronaldo when it comes to a strikers’ instincts.

Haaland has taken the Premier League by storm so far this season following his summer move from Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund.

Silva is one of few to play with the Norwegian as well as Ronaldo at international level with Portugal and he has made a comparison between the two, though he believes the former is not on the same level yet.

Ronaldo notched his 700th club goal in United’s win over Everton last weekend, while Haaland has scored 20 goals in 13 appearances in all competitions so far this term.

“I was speaking with a few friends the other day and I said he is the only player who gets close to Cristiano in terms of knowing where the ball will land inside the box,” Silva told Arab News, via the Sun.

“He’s got that smell of knowing where it lands and he’s so quick and strong, which is not easy for the defenders. Can he reach the same standards? Well, I’m playing with Erling so I hope so but the standards are so high.

“Cristiano has won five Ballon d’Ors, five Champions Leagues. You never know what will happen in the future. Erling’s still very young, still got a lot to do but the mentality is there, so yes.”

Silva, who has featured in every game for Pep Guardiola’s side so far this season, also suggested that Haaland possesses the type of fear factor which Ronaldo has carried for the majority of his illustrious career.

“We have always had good results over the last few years but it’s true that now we have a player up front that is so strong, big,” he added.

“And the other teams fear a little bit of that. Personally, I feel if me and the other midfielders and defenders do our jobs properly then we have so much quality up front.

“Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden and Erling, they can decide the games, they can take care of the rest. But we have to do a proper job, control the rhythm of the game and then we know the weapons we have up front.”