Congratulations to our friend Erling Haaland on his historic appointment! He was the fastest player to 100 goals in the Premier League, accomplishing that amazing feat in only 111 games. On December 2, 2023, the Norwegian striker made history in a thrilling 4-3 victory over Fulham. Manchester City prevailed in an exhilarating contest by a scoreline of 5-4. This masterclass delivered a much-needed win for his side. He broke football legend Alan Shearer’s former record for the longest stretch holding the title by a whopping 19 games.
Haaland’s scoring prowess has been a significant factor in Manchester City’s attacking strategy since he joined the club in August 2022. At only 23 years old, he has already made a substantial impact on the league, netting an average of more than 0.9 goals per game. He achieved his 50th goal in only 48 matches played! This anomaly reflects just how good Lionel Messi has been, maintaining a phenomenal career average of almost a goal per game.
Beyond his personal accolades, Haaland’s work has helped make up almost 35% of all Manchester City’s goals since he joined. This staggering statistic only serves to emphasize his value to the team and explains why the club’s manager, Pep Guardiola, has called him “undroppable.”
A Record-Breaking Performance
Erling Haaland’s path to 100 started with an absolutely electric debut double against West Ham on August 7, 2022. Since then he has done nothing but thrive. He’s scored against every opponent he’s come up against so far, including a match-winning free-kick v Brentford in February 2024. He has an outlandishly high scoring rate. Against Ipswich, he averages a goal every 38 minutes!
For one, Haaland has a truly mind-blowing goals-per-game rate which isolates him from other elite goal-scorers. He surpassed Thierry Henry, the previous fastest to reach 50 goals in the Premier League. Haaland’s eye-catching numbers only begin to scratch the surface of his brilliance. If he’s able to maintain his current fitness and form, he could potentially eclipse Alan Shearer’s all-time record by September 2030.
“Have you seen the numbers of the guy?” – An anonymous football commentator
Guardiola has praised Haaland’s mindset and work ethic, noting that his hunger for success sets him apart from his peers. The manager highlighted the fact that Haaland’s mentality in training and on matchdays exudes a steadfast confidence that he will find the net.
Consistency and Commitment
Since joining Manchester City, Haaland has missed only 14 league games over more than three seasons, highlighting his consistency and commitment to the team. His consistency game in and game out has proven to be an invaluable tool for City as they fight for titles at home and around the world.
As a corollary, Haaland’s otherworldly scoring prowess has been the talk of every fan and pundit from Paris to Perth. Some view him as a generational talent who is going to enter the NFL and immediately start rewriting record books. His goal-scoring capabilities have thus far earned him comparisons to Manchester City all-time great Sergio Aguero.
“There’s a difference for me between a great centre-forward or striker and a goalscorer. I think what we’re witnessing now is something we’ve never seen before in our game,” said a prominent football analyst.
The respect for Haaland surely goes deeper than his technical prowess. It’s his down-to-earth personality and his willingness to take fan and teammate feedback that continues to win over fans and compatriots. As Guardiola put it, Haaland is “incredibly coachable,” which speaks to the fact that his desire to improve plays a large role in his outsized success.
Future Prospects
As he keeps cementing his name into the illustrious Premier League history, the future is blinding for Erling Haaland. Scoring 100 goals at such a young age begs the question of how far he can go in his career. In doing so, with the chance of shattering numerous long-standing records, he has taken the footballing world by storm.
Based on Haaland’s trajectory so far, he seems destined to remain a dominant force on the pitch as he matures into his prime years. Manchester City are chasing further silverware on four fronts. Fans hold their breath before every game, hoping to witness yet another remarkable display from their superstar forward.
“I’ve never felt better than I do now,” expressed Haaland after his record-breaking achievement.
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