Flying start: How do Erling Haaland's early goals compare to the best individual seasons in Premier League history?
What a start Erling Haaland has made to life in the Premier League. The Norwegian, arriving in England from Borussia Dortmund this summer, looks to be the final jewel in Pep Guardiola’s shining Manchester City crown. One of the most sought-after signings this summer, Haaland provides that finishing touch City perhaps missed in their pursuit of Champions League success last season, although it didn’t stop them from retaining the league title.
Indeed, Haaland has made a flying start to the fresh campaign, already notching up double figures and looking well on course to win the Golden Boot. Had the Betfair welcome offer been available at the start of the season, it’s understandable that most would have tipped City to win a fifth title in six years, and given the attacking talent coming out of the Etihad Stadium, there’s every reason to suggest Guardiola will pick up more silverware.
As for Haaland, individual awards could be the order of the day. Having already scored 11 league goals at the time of writing, you wonder if he could break multiple records to crown a debut year in style. Read on, as we look at how the 22-year-old goal machine compares to the fast starts of the Premier League’s greats, and what he has to do to write his name in the history books.
Mohamed Salah – 2017-18
In terms of individual goalscoring, Haaland will need at least 33 goals to break the record for most goals in a single season set by Mohamed Salah in 2017-18. The Egyptian had just returned to the Premier League from Roma after a short stint at Chelsea, maturing into an elite finisher as Liverpool secured top four and reached the Champions League final. Despite Liverpool perhaps not being the finished article yet, Salah remained a figure of consistency throughout the season, and scored a highlight-reel of memorable goals, including one in the Merseyside Derby that won him that year’s Puskás Award.
Luis Suárez – 2013-14
Staying in Liverpool now, and the 2013-14 iteration of Luis Suárez is perhaps the greatest solo season in history. Although he missed the first five games of the season and didn’t take penalties, Suárez still managed 31 goals and 13 assists for the Reds, putting them within touching distance of the title. The Uruguayan was in red hot form, with his stats being compared to entire teams in the early months of the season. Suárez left for Barcelona that summer but the impression he left at Anfield leaves fans eulogising about him to this day.
Cristiano Ronaldo – 2007-08
The first player on this list to win the Premier League in their best season, Cristiano Ronaldo put his name in lights in the 2007-08 campaign, with 31 goals propelling him to superstardom. At just 23 years old, Ronaldo won the league and Champions League double at Manchester United, winning the Golden Boot and Ballon d'Or in his penultimate season in his first spell with the Red Devils. At a time before he moved into a central role, this version of Ronaldo combined the trickery and entertainment of the young boy from Lisbon with the mercurial finisher of Madrid, a combination that would win the hearts of United fans long after he returned to Old Trafford over a decade later.
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