‘Like Messi or Ronaldo’ – ‘obsessed’ Haaland ‘ridiculous and rare’
Another game, another milestone for Erling Haaland, who keeps getting better and better.
The Norway striker marked his 100th Manchester City appearance with his 91st goal to help earn the Premier League champions an opening-game win at Chelsea.
With such an incredible record it is little wonder his manager Pep Guardiola paid him the ultimate compliment.
“These are the numbers of Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo,” he said. “They controlled the last decade and 15 years absolutely everything. In terms of numbers, it is that level.
“I don’t know how he does it but to score 91 goals in 100 games in this Premier League in this country is unbelievable.”
Haaland – best of the stats
Haaland’s numbers since joining Manchester City from Borussia Dortmund in the summer 2022 make for stunning reading:
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Haaland has scored 64 goals in 67 Premier League appearances. No player has scored more since his Premier League debut. Mohamed Salah has the next-most goals in that time with 38 in 71 games.
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Haaland has the best minutes-per-goal ratio in Premier League history (minimum 20 goals). He has scored a goal every 85 minutes. Sergio Aguero has the next best record with a goal every 108 minutes.
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In his first season at City, Haaland scored 52 goals in 53 games in all competitions, a record for a Manchester City player.
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Haaland’s 36 league goals in his first season took him past the longstanding joint records of Alan Shearer and Andrew Cole, who scored 34 each in the first three seasons of the Premier League – when teams played 42 games.
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Haaland took just 48 games to score 50 Premier League goals, 17 games fewer than previous recordholder Cole.
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This season Haaland could win his third consecutive Premier League Golden Boot. Thierry Henry was the last player to win three in a row in 2004.
Chelsea 0-2 Manchester City: Guardiola praises Manchester City as a ‘privilege’ to lead
‘He is obsessed with scoring goals’
Speaking as a pundit on Sky Sports, former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge described Haaland’s goalscoring record as “ridiculous”.
“He is obsessed with scoring goals,” he said. “You can see he has it in him, he wants to be more than just a goalscorer.
“When you play Haaland, he has so much to his game we are not seeing. Ninety-one goals, it’s incredible, ridiculous. Players like him are so rare.”
Former Liverpool and Tottenham midfielder Jamie Redknapp said Haaland has “brought strikers back into fashion”.
He said: “Any kid watching that wants to be a striker.
“A lot of managers are like sheep and they see Manchester City’s success and they all want a number nine.”
Former Manchester City defender Micah Richards said: “He is having to adapt his game because Manchester City always have the ball.
“He has to adapt his game in the box and that is what he deserves credit for. He was constantly making those runs to create space.”
Can Haaland get even better?
Haaland demonstrated his ruthless efficiency against Chelsea by scoring with one of just five touches in the first half.
But despite his imperious scoring record the 24-year-old wants to strive for even greater heights.
“I want to help the team and to make the team work and get the other players in better positions,” he told Sky Sports.
“To get an extra metre for Bernardo Silva, number 10, if I can stretch the centre-backs to get an extra metre I will do it. It’s hard but yeah.
“I want to get more involved, that’s what Pep [Guardiola] wants. But in games like this, do I need to be that more involved? That’s the million-dollar question. I want to get more assists and become a better player.”
Haaland has last laugh against Cucurella
Marc Cucurella endured a difficult afternoon against Erling Haaland
Sunday’s victory at Stamford Bridge will be even sweeter for Haaland after comments by Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella over the summer.
The Spain full-back was caught on video singing “Haaland you’d better tremble as Cucurella is coming” while celebrating his country’s Euro 2024 triumph.
It took just 18 minutes for Haaland to respond, shrugging off the attentions of Cucurella before dinking the ball over goalkeeper Robert Sanchez for the opening goal.
And to make things worse for Cucurella he limped off through injury in the second half.