By Martin Graham
Erling Haaland surpassed Alan Shearer’s long-standing mark of reaching the 100-goal mark in fewer games than any player since the Premier League began. His historic strike came during Manchester City dramatic triumph 5-4 a Fulham on tuesday
The Manchester City striker, now 25, has enjoyed an outstanding campaign, netting 20 goals in 19 games in all competitions so far. His performance at Craven Cottage provided a quick response to a rare three-game goalless run, which came against Newcastle, Bayer Leverkusen and Leeds.
Haaland ended that mini-drought by guiding Jeremy Doku’s delivery in the opening period of a high-scoring contest. He later described the occasion as a major personal milestone, noting that scoring regularly is his primary duty as the focal point of City’s attack.
The Norway international, who was previously eligible to represent England, thanked his team-mates and expressed pride in reaching the century so quickly. He highlighted City’s expectations of their striker, adding that he accepts the responsibility to finish chances.
Pep Guardiola praised Haaland’s display and success, calling the striker’s performance “exceptional” and highlighting his determination and overall contribution during the match.
Guardiola’s reaction and Haaland’s influence at City
Haaland’s first-half strike was only part of his contribution, as he also hit the crossbar twice — once in each half — and set up two goals for his team-mates. Although he only added one to his account on the night, he repeatedly threatened to expand it.
His 15 league goals so far put him at the top of the goalscoring table, with Brentford’s Igor Thiago four behind. Haaland’s influence is further underlined by the fact that he has provided almost half of City’s 32 Premier League goals this campaign.
Since joining Borussia Dortmund in 2022, Haaland has consistently broken records. Reaching 100 goals in just 111 games tops his growing list of individual feats. The previous fastest mark, set by Shearer, required 124 appearances.
City manager Guardiola has praised Haaland’s appetite and quality, saying the forward’s mentality remains sharp and his competitive drive will continue to push him to score more for the club as the season progresses.
Haaland’s journey to the milestone
Haaland’s rise to England began with a historic debut season in 2022-23, when he scored 36 league goals, the highest single-season total in Premier League history, in just 33 starts. That campaign immediately indicated the pace at which he could rack up records.
After arriving from Dortmund for £51m, where he scored 62 league goals in 67 outings, the striker adapted instantly to English football. His goal percentage since joining City is significantly higher than that of any other major Premier League goalscorer to date.
He has also reached double figures in a league season faster than any other player on three different occasions. These benchmarks underline how quickly he has built his Premier League legacy since moving from Germany.
His century comes at a significant stage in his career, after a period last season when he was briefly doubted by some observers. A stretch that began with City’s defeat at Liverpool in December 2024 saw him find the net just once in seven games, the slowest spell of his time in Manchester.
Despite this slump, he finished the campaign with 34 goals in all competitions, including 22 in league action. Even his less prolific season in England still produced numbers that most strikers would consider exceptional.
This term, he has resumed his usual production, with 15 goals in 14 appearances in the League and 20 in 19 games in total. With his contract running until 2034, it may now appear that he is within reach of surpassing Shearer’s record total of 260 Premier League goals.
