It is an honour – Pep on reaching 250 Premier League wins in record-breaking time

Pep Guardiola has spoken of his pride at reaching 250 Premier League wins quicker than another other manager in the history of the competition.

Erling Haaland’s first half goal ensured the 1-0 victory over Brentford that took Guardiola to his landmark moment.

He hit the milestone in 359 games - 55 matches quicker than the next fastest manager with Alex Ferguson needing 404 games to get to 250 in the Premier League and Arsene Wenger next, requiring 423 matches to reach the total.

Speaking in his post-match press conference, Guardiola was thrilled to achieve another piece of history.

“Thank you so much, it means a lot or else you cannot take these accolades,” he said.

“It is an honour for me to be alongside Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger. 

“I will invite them to a good dinner. Maybe not in Manchester - maybe a place with more sun - no, we do it in Manchester.

“It is an honour and a pleasure to be part of that in the Premier League history but of course I say thank you to the club and the players and all the staff I had because there are a lot of games and we did it quicker, faster, better and I’m really, really pleased.

“Let‘s go for 250 more.”

On the game itself against the Bees, Guardiola was happy to collect three valuable points that put us up into fifth in the Premier League.

He wished his team had scored more during a dominant first half but was thrilled with the win and the progress his team have made in the opening two months of the season.

“Yeah, away game, you win 1-0, you suffer,” he added.

“In the first half we were at the best we have been for many, many months, but we couldn’t score more goals which would have made the game a bit easier.

“We knew at half-time they would push more because the Premier League and everything is like that.

“They played more long balls and the wind and it was much harder and the long throws - that guy, I don’t know how he is [able to do that] and the corners we suffer, but the game was well played and we defend well because they didn’t create much chances.

“In the first half we created almost clear chances - a bit like in midweek against Monaco.

“I’m pleased for this month and we are there and we are getting better and better, game by game.”

The result was made possible thanks to stars at both ends of the pitch.

Erling Haaland scored the winning goal in the first half while Gianluigi Donnarumma made a vital save from Igor Thiago after the break.

Guardiola praised both players as he addressed the media post-game.

On Haaland, he said: “I said one month ago he is the best and that year we won the Treble, I don’t know how many goals he scored - maybe 50 million goals.

“But now he sign a contract for many years - we have to find him more, but he is more involved in the game, not just in the finishing, he is more on the ball and he work a lot his ethic, pressing and I am really pleased and I hope this week with Norway he can score more and come back fit for the Everton game.”

On summer signing Donnarumma, he added: “He played a high level very young - he was 17 when he first played for the national team.

“Now he is 26 and he looks like he has been playing for centuries.

“His composure and presence - and the keepers in the big clubs have to save a few chances when you are playing good.

“Normally at clubs who played good, you don’t concede much but in this action, he had to save it and he did it today.

“The action was clear, we made a mistake and it was 1v1 and against a team who play long balls, thrown ins, Gigi is there and that helps us a lot.”