Micah Richards believes that Erling Haaland has the ability and potential to score more goals than Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

Haaland netted his second hat-trick in eight days as Manchester City won 3-1 at West Ham on Saturday.

The 24-year-old has now scored 70 goals in 69 Premier League appearances for City.

Across his overall career to date, he has found the net 263 times in 317 games for City, Norway, Borussia Dortmund, Red Bull Salzburg, Molde and Bryne.

These numbers are pretty spectacular but Haaland still has a mighty long way to go before catches Ronaldo or Messi.

Erling Haaland scored his second hat-trick in eight days as Man City won 3-1 at West Ham

Ronaldo, 39, has scored more goals than any other player in the history of men's football.

Former Manchester United and Real Madrid superstar Ronaldo - who currently plays in Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr - has 899 goals in 1,235 career games.

Meanwhile, 37-year-old Barcelona and Argentina legend Messi - now of Inter Miami - has netted 838 times in 1,069 appearances.

But former City defender Richards reckons that Haaland could one day overtake football's two most iconic goal machines.

Speaking on Sky Sports shortly after Saturday's game, Richards said: 'In terms of Messi we know what he can do, in terms of goals and assists and at times he'd play up front, right, No 10…

'Ronaldo as well, he started off as a winger and then he matured into a goal scorer, No 9, movement in the box.

'But in terms of numbers, especially in the Premier League, what Haaland is producing now at this age is staggering. Absolutely unbelievable, he's so sharp.

'In terms of numbers, there's no reason he can't surpass that (Ronaldo and Messi's numbers) as long as he stays injury free.

'We've always got to talk about injuries because if he plays in a team like Man City, constantly creating chances, he's going to get those opportunities.'

Ex-Liverpool captain Jamie Redknapp - who was also part of Sky's punditry team on Saturday - added: '263 goals in 317 games, if you just think about that for a second, how difficult that is to do.

'Of course he's playing in a great side that create lots of chances for him but it is staggering.

'He's a phenomenon the guy. He's an amazing player to watch and he's so different to the other two (Ronaldo and Messi) and I don't think for a second we're going to compare their styles.

'But as an out and out goalscorer it's very hard to think of anyone that's as clinical and has every single goal in the bag.'