Erling Haaland continues to impress as he reached another milestone in his career during Manchester City’s opening-game win against Chelsea. The Norwegian striker marked his 100th appearance for the club with his 91st goal, drawing high praise from his manager, Pep Guardiola. Guardiola compared Haaland’s incredible record to that of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, stating that his goal-scoring numbers are at that level.
Since joining Manchester City from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2022, Haaland has had an exceptional run. He has scored 64 goals in 67 Premier League appearances, making him the top scorer since his debut in the league. The next highest goal-scorer in that time is Mohamed Salah with 38 goals in 71 games. Haaland also holds the best minutes-per-goal ratio in Premier League history, scoring a goal every 85 minutes. Sergio Aguero previously held the record with a goal every 108 minutes.
In his first season at Manchester City, Haaland scored a remarkable 52 goals in 53 games across all competitions, setting a new record for a Manchester City player. Furthermore, his 36 league goals in his debut season surpassed the longstanding joint records of Alan Shearer and Andrew Cole, who scored 34 goals each in the first three seasons of the Premier League when teams played 42 games. Haaland achieved this feat in just 48 games, 17 games faster than Cole.
With such impressive stats, Haaland is in contention to win his third consecutive Premier League Golden Boot this season. The last player to achieve this feat was Thierry Henry in 2004. Former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge described Haaland’s goalscoring record as “ridiculous” and highlighted his obsession with scoring goals. Sturridge also noted that Haaland brings more to the game than just goal-scoring, making him a rare talent in the world of football.
Jamie Redknapp, a former Liverpool and Tottenham midfielder, credited Haaland with bringing strikers back into fashion. He mentioned that many young players aspire to become strikers after witnessing Haaland’s performances. Micah Richards, a former Manchester City defender, commended Haaland for adapting his game to fit Manchester City’s possession-based style. Richards noted that Haaland constantly makes runs to create space and deserves credit for his ability to adapt.
Despite his remarkable goal-scoring record, Haaland remains focused on improving and contributing more to the team. He aims to help his teammates by stretching the opposition’s defense and creating more opportunities for them. Haaland expressed his desire to become a better player by getting more involved in games and providing more assists.
The victory against Chelsea holds particular significance for Haaland as it comes after comments made by Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella over the summer. Cucurella was caught on video singing a taunting song about Haaland, but the Norwegian striker had the last laugh. He scored the opening goal, shrugging off Cucurella’s attentions before dinking the ball over the goalkeeper. To make matters worse for Cucurella, he later limped off through injury in the second half.
In conclusion, Erling Haaland’s goal-scoring prowess and adaptability have made him one of the most exciting players in football. His record-breaking performances for Manchester City have drawn comparisons to Messi and Ronaldo, and he continues to strive for improvement. Haaland’s impact goes beyond scoring goals, as he brings strikers back into the limelight and inspires young players. With his dedication and talent, he has the potential to reach even greater heights in the future.