Guardiola vs Slot: Who is the best forward in the world - Haaland or Isak.

The Best Forwards in the World

According to The Sun: Arne Slot and Pep Guardiola are confident that their players are the best strikers in the world.

The Liverpool head coach Slot dubbed his recently signed player, Alexander Isak, the "best forward in the world" after his transfer for 130 million euros.

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However, Pep Guardiola is confident that his Manchester City striker Erling Haaland remains "a step above" the Swedish star.

Guardiola said: “You ask what Erling is like as a striker - he is the top. Isak is an exceptional player.

“Erling is a bit higher. Isak has to be a top player for the price they paid, of course.

“Another person could name Kylian Mbappe, another could say Lionel Messi, another Cristiano Ronaldo.

“But I wouldn’t swap Erling for anyone. I know him. He is an incredible player, a wonderful person, and I like him.”

Haaland approaches the upcoming Manchester derby with 88 league goals - more than any other player in the Premier League in their first 100 matches.

The 25-year-old striker also scored five goals for Norway on Tuesday during the 11-1 victory over Moldova in World Cup qualifiers.

Isak, on the other hand, spent just 18 minutes on the field for Sweden as their chances of qualifying faced a serious blow.

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Isak did not play in Sweden's first match - a 2-2 draw in Slovenia, and came on as a substitute in their 2-0 loss to Kosovo.

This was the 25-year-old Isak's first appearance since the end of last season - he missed the entire pre-season due to a conflict with the club regarding the move to Liverpool.

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This was the first step towards his debut for the Reds, which could come off the bench on Sunday away against Burnley.

Slot, who was named Premier League Manager of the Month in August, thanked Jon Dahl Tomasson for his approach to Isak.

He said: “The Swedish coach deserves great credit as he is getting perhaps the best forward in the world and must give him a chance in two very important matches for his country.

“But he understood that if he played him twice for 90 minutes, then the player would face injuries for weeks.

“It is not always easy for a coach to take care of the player's interests.”

“We will treat Alex the same way - so don’t expect him to play 90 minutes in every game.

“That will definitely not happen in the coming weeks. He missed a proper pre-season, and we need to gradually develop him, considering that we play so much.

“We signed a six-year contract with him - the spectators must take that into consideration.”

Overall, the situation surrounding Isak and Haaland showcases the high level of competition among the best forwards in the world. How Isak adapts to his new team and his recovery from injuries will be crucial stages in his career. Meanwhile, Guardiola and his players continue to dominate the league, affirming Haaland's status as one of the best players of modern times.

Further matches are expected to show how the relationship between these two stars and their teams will unfold in the current football season.