After a so-called ‘poor’ 2024-25 campaign, Erling Haaland looked back to his clinical best during Manchester City’s 3-0 derby win over Manchester United.
While 22 goals last season is hardly bad, Haaland struggled to have the same impact as he had been during his first two seasons in the Premier League, particularly compared to the 2022-23 campaign, where he scored 52 goals in all competitions as City won the Treble.
The Norwegian would miss key chances in big moments, which ultimately contributed to City finishing well below expectations in third place.
But against United, he looked back to his ruthless best, taking City out of reach from their rivals in the second half with two tidy finishes.
The first was a cool chip over United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir, before he charged through to slot home in trademark fashion to complete the 3-0 win and take his tally this season to five goals in four games.
Manager Pep Guardiola said: “Erling has been incredible since the start but this season he is better than ever. I would say better than the Treble year.
“He is dynamic and I don’t judge him for the clearances, we want him to score goals and to help us.”
Erling Haaland Premier League goals
It is only Haaland’s fourth season in the Premier League but it looks set to already be the one where he joins the 100 club – for players who have scored 100 goals or more in the competition.
After is derby double, Haaland’s tally is now 90 goals, meaning he needs just 10 more goals to join that exclusive club, which currently has 34 members.
The rate at which the Norwegian hitman is racking up the numbers is staggering, having played just 101 games in the competition. He has another 22 games to score those 10 goals to become the quickest player to reach 100 goals in the competition.
For context, Liverpool talisman Mohamed Salah took 162 games to achieve that feat, with second-top goalscorer Harry Kane needing 144. Record goalscorer Alan Shearer did so in 124.
How long will it take for Haaland to beat Shearer’s record?
With Haaland signing a huge contract with City last season which does not expire until 2034, it seems only a matter of time before the striker beats Shearer’s long-standing record of 260 Premier League goals.
He has 90 goals in 101 Premier League games, a rate of 0.89 goals per game. Continue at that pace and Haaland will eclipse Shearer in 191 games, which equates to roughly five seasons.
In total, that would mean he could break the record in eight seasons – a staggering difference to the 14 Shearer took to reach his tally.
It appears that the only thing that could stop the 25-year-old from breaking the record is if he leaves the Premier League for pastures new, with a reported 2029 break clause in his contract and LaLiga giants Real Madrid often listed as a long-term destination.
Where does rank in the all-time Premier League goalscorers?
- Alan Shearer – 260 goals, 441 games
- Harry Kane – 213 goals, 320 games
- Wayne Rooney – 208 goals, 491 games
- Mohamed Salah – 188 goals, 305 games
- Andy Cole – 187 goals, 415 games
- Sergio Aguero – 184 goals, 275 games
- Frank Lampard – 177 goals, 611 games
- Thierry Henry – 175 goals, 258 games
- Jermain Defoe – 163 goals, 496 games
- Robbie Fowler – 162 goals, 379 games
- Michael Owen – 150 goals, 326 games
- Les Ferdinand – 149 goals, 349 games
- Teddy Sheringham – 146 goals, 417 games
- Jamie Vardy – 145 goals, 342 games
- Robin van Persie – 144 goals, 280 games
- Heung-min Son – 127 goals, 333 games
- Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink – 127 goals, 288 games
- Robbie Keane – 126 goals, 349 games
- Nicolas Anelka – 125 goals, 364 games
- Raheem Sterling – 123 goals, 396 games
- Dwight Yorke – 123 goals, 375 games
- Steven Gerrard – 121 goals, 504 games
- Romelu Lukaku – 121 goals, 278 games
- Ian Wright – 113 goals, 213 games
- Sadio Mane – 111 goals, 263 games
- Dion Dublin – 111 goals, 312 games
- Emile Heskey – 110 goals, 516 games
- Ryan Giggs – 108 goals, 632 games
- Paul Scholes – 107 goals, 499 games
- Peter Crouch – 106 goals, 468 games
- Darren Bent – 106 goals, 277 games
- Didier Drogba – 104 goals, 254 games
- Cristiano Ronaldo – 103 goals, 236 games
- Matt Le Tissier – 101 goals, 270 games
- Emmanuel Adebayor – 97 goals, 242 games
- Yakubu Aiyegbeni – 95 goals, 252 games
- Ruud van Nistelrooy – 95 goals, 150 games
- Dimitar Berbatov – 94 goals, 229 games
- Mark Viduka – 92 goals, 240 games
- Kevin Phillips – 92 goals, 263 games
- Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – 91 goals, 235 games
- Chris Wood – 91 goals, 267 games
- Olivier Giroud – 90 goals, 255 games
- James Beattie – 90 goals, 329 games
- Erling Haaland – 90 goals, 101 games
