Pep Guardiola names the players who will deputise for Erling Haaland as Man City's back-up striker

Pep Guardiola has revealed the players who can step up to fill Erling Haaland's boots this season when the Norwegian striker is unavailable for Manchester City.

Haaland has started the new season exactly how many feared by scoring four goals in the opening two games of the Premier League campaign.

The forward's numbers are so out of this world that fans spotted one of the signatures on his match ball from which read: "I'm sick of writing these match balls."

Haaland scored 27 goals in the league last season in just 31 games but with Man City selling Julian Alvarez to Atletico Madrid this summer, there could be a significant lack of depth up top for Guardiola.

Speaking ahead of Man City's clash with West Ham this weekend, Guardiola confirmed the club would not be making any moves ahead of the transfer deadline on Friday.

With no obvious senior backup for Haaland, Guardiola also confirmed the players he believes have what it takes to step into his shoes if needed.

"In two or three months, Oscar Bobb will be back, and Phil Foden can play in that position [striker/false-nine], and James McAtee, Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva," Guardiola explained.

City have not been afraid to play without a recognised striker in the past and even won the Premier League title without a number nine prior to Haaland's arrival.

The situation has been significantly improved by the arrival of Gundogan from Barcelona, who signed on a free from the Spanish club earlier in the month.

“I’m incredibly happy,” Gundogan said on his return to City.

Erling Haaland- Getty

“Happy to see the team-mates, the staff, people that over seven years I had an amazing time with, a very successful time with. Many ups, a few downs, but in general, an incredible experience.

“When you leave this place like I did last year, you spend a year away, you then start to appreciate the place even more. You realise what you had. You realise how amazing that time was.

“You realise how big the club is - the best club in the world," he concluded.