The £51m transfer was by no means the Premier League’s most expensive signing of the summer window, but it could yet prove to be the best value for money.
After just five games, Haaland racked up nine goals, eclipsing a record shared by Micky Quinn and Sergio Aguero, who both netted eight times in their first five Premier League games.
Focus has now switched from whether Haaland will adapt to English football seamlessly – a point he has answered emphatically – to whether the Norwegian striker can break the league’s single-season record for goals.
The overall record is 34 goals, but that was during a 42-game campaign, with both Andy Cole (1993-94) and Alan Shearer (1994-95) reaching that mark before the league switched to 20 teams.
As it stands, Mohamed Salah holds the 38-game record, having scored 32 times back in 2017-18, one more than Shearer (1995-96), Luiz Suarez (2013-14) and Cristiano Ronaldo (2007-08) managed in one season.
And given he started the campaign scoring at a rate better than one goal per game, Haaland is in a strong position to not only trouble Salah’s record but obliterate it.
Not since Kevin De Bruyne have City signed a potentially generational talent at such a young age. The transfer fee alone was astonishing, less than Chelsea paid for Marc Cucurella. I like Cucerella, but…
Haaland has clearly been bought to be Manchester City’s difference maker in the Champions League, the obvious solution to a problem that irks City, whatever their supporters might say to the contrary.
Read Daniel Storey’s transfer window reviews for all 20 Premier League clubs here
Of course, injuries and rotation could play their part, but Pep Guardiola is unlikely to keep Haaland away from the pitch for too long unless he is forced to.
So what exactly is realistic for Haaland? 30? 40? More? It seems absurd to type out such numbers, but then again, we are talking about a player with a relentless thirst for goals.
Good luck to those chasing the Golden Boot as well, and of course, to the Premier League defences hoping he has an off day. They may be few and far between.
Goals 1 and 2
West Ham 0-2 Man City, 7 August 2022, London Stadium
Haaland opened his Premier League account with two goals at London Stadium, scoring his first from the penalty spot and the second a fine finish with his left foot following Kevin De Bruyne’s through ball.
Newcastle 3-3 Man City, 21 August 2022, St James’ Park
After drawing a blank in the 4-0 win over Bournemouth, City were trailing 3-1 at Newcastle when Haaland got them back in the game when scoring from a corner. Bernardo Silva made it 3-3.
Goals 4, 5 and 6
Man City 4-2 Crystal Palace, 27 August 2022, Etihad Stadium
Haaland’s first hat-trick for City, and it helped City overturn a 2-0 deficit. They were trailing 2-1 when Haaland then scored three in 19 minutes to seal a 4-2 win.
Goals 7, 8 and 9
Man City 6-0 Nottingham Forest, 31 August, Etihad Stadium
Back-to-back hat-tricks for Haaland, who broke the record after five Premier League games in the process. This time all three goals came in the first half of City’s 6-0 win.
Aston Villa 1-1 Man City, 3 September 2022, Villa Park
Another game another goal, with Haaland volleying in from close range to open the scoring at Villa Park, although City were pegged back and the match ended 1-1.
Erling Haaland’s Champions League goals
With a view to delivering City a first-ever Champions League crown, Haaland could well prove to be the piece that they have been missing in the last decade or so.
He has scored three goals in their group-stage campaign so far, twice against Sevilla and another against former side Dortmund.
Against Sevilla, the Norwegian made it 25 goals in 20 Champions League games, making him both the fastest and youngest player to reach this mark, and then against Dortmund he scored a sublime acrobatic goal (below).
Haaland made it seven goals in 11 Premier League games when scoring City’s second in the win against Wolves. This led to another record, making him the first player to score in his first four Premier League away games.
What is Shearer’s record?
Alan Shearer currently holds the all-time Premier League record of 260 goals.
Of course, Haaland is a long, long way off, but his relentless start has people wondering whether he could end up breaking that record as well – assuming he stays in the league and is not tempted by another challenge elsewhere, namely La Liga.
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Haaland's acrobatic finish takes the prize
#UCLGOTW | @Heineken pic.twitter.com/dut375twcQ
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