Erling Haaland has now scored 35 Premier League goals this season
Erling Haaland has broken the record for the most goals scored in a Premier League season.
The 22-year-old netted his 35th top-flight goal of the campaign in Manchester City’s 3-0 win against West Ham on Wednesday. Nathan Ake gave Pep Guardiola’s side the lead, before Haaland notched his record-breaking strike. Phil Foden added City’s third to wrap up an important three points at the Etihad Stadium.
Alan Shearer and Andrew Cole held the previous record for Newcastle and Manchester United respectively – and no-one had come close until Haaland turned up to City. The forward shattered the feat with five matches to go in spectacular fashion as Pep Guardiola’s side chase their fifth title in six years.
It was a sumptuous finish from the forward as he dinked the ball over the onrushing Lukasz Fabianski, having been played through by Jack Grealish. The Norwegian had been relatively quiet up until the goal but showed his pure class and what he can do when given a clear-cut chance.
Haaland now has 35 in the Premier League and 51 in all competitions – a remarkable tally for a striker that was written off by many after missing a number of chances in the Community Shield in July. However, he has proven to be a top-class signing for City since his £51million move from Borussia Dortmund.
After scoring his first City goal against, ironically, West Ham in August, Haaland has not looked back ever since. He scored twice at the London Stadium on the opening day of the season, before striking a further 13 goals in his next eight top-flight matches as he continued his impressive start in England.
Erling Haaland has broken the record for the most goals in a Premier League season
Haaland, who was also productive in the Champions League, struck his fourth hat-trick of the campaign in a 3-0 win over Wolves to shut down any doubts about his post-World Cup form. He has ticked over ever since and levelled the Premier League record in City’s 2-1 win at Fulham on Sunday.
Guardiola praised Haaland after the game. He told Sky Sports: “It’s unbelievable how many goals he has scored to help us win games. All the team is satisfied for that because he is a unique person and he is so special.
“It was nice and he deserved his guard of honour, because it’s an incredible milestone. Maybe one day he can break his own record. He has to score a lot of goals.”
City’s win over West Ham moved them back to the top of the Premier League. They now sit one point above Arsenal in the race for the title.