Manchester City star Erling Haaland spoke in a press statement after the victory over Brentford 1-0 in the seventh round of the Premier League.

The player commented on his physical confrontation with Brentford's player Sepp van den Berg: "In the first five minutes, he was pushing me constantly, so I said to myself: 'Okay, let's fight.' I started pushing back as well. For me, the goal I scored is among the best I've scored in my career."

He added: "Honestly, I felt a bit tired before the match and thought it would be tough, but after 10 seconds he started pushing me and that motivated me even more. All respect to him, because he made me want to do that."

Regarding his current level, Haaland confirmed: "I have never felt in my life that I am better than now. Yes, you can say I am in the best phase of my career. It’s about preparation first, being physically and mentally ready for the matches."

He concluded about his personal life and its importance in his development as a player: "Honestly, having a child has made me better, because I have started to detach from football more than ever. I no longer think about the match all the time as I used to, and when I return home I relax more. So I think I should give a special thanks to my son."