Erling Haaland became the fastest player ever to score 100 Premier League goals as he struck the opening goal in Manchester City's epic 5-4 win at Fulham on Tuesday. The Norwegian hitman reached a century of goals in 111 games, smashing Alan Shearer's previous record of 100 strikes in 124 matches.
Haaland brings up PL century versus Fulham
Haaland went into the match failing to score in successive games for the first time this season following blanks at Newcastle and against Leeds, having also not struck as a substitute in the Champions League against Bayer Leverkusen. But, after hitting the post with a clear opening early in the game, he ended his mini-drought by finding the net in the 17th minute at Craven Cottage to write yet another page in the Premier League history books.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportHaaland the 35th player to score 100 PL goals
Haaland lashed in a cut-back from Jeremy Doku with his favoured left foot to break the deadlock against Fulham, scoring for the seventh time in seven games against the Cottagers. He is only the 35th player to reach 100 Premier League goals. And given that he is only 25 and has a contract with City until 2034, he is well placed to join Wayne Rooney, Harry Kane and Alan Shearer as the only players to have scored 200 or more Premier League goals.
'Nice to join 100 club'
It was an unforgettable night for Haaland and City, and not just because of the 100th goal. City marched into a 5-1 lead early in the second half thanks to two goals from Phil Foden, one from Tijjani Reijnders and an own goal by Sander Berge but then conceded three times to set up an enthralling finish. They eventually clung on to take all three points.
"It's huge and I'm really proud. It's a massive thing, the 100 club is a nice thing to be in and I'm happy," Haaland told . "I knew about it, that's what I tried to do. I try to help the team scoring goals, that's my job. Every game is a different game, you can't think of the game that's been, you need to focus on what's ahead.
"The reality is we lost against Newcastle and Leverkusen but now we have two in a row and we have to keep going. I think if you're sitting at home now you enjoyed that game. It was a crazy game, nine goals is a lot. In the end, we win and we're happy but it's not the best win."
GettyShearer believes Haaland will break all-time PL record
Haaland wrote Premier League history by scoring 36 goals in his very first season with City, beating Alan Shearer and Andy Cole's tally of 34 strikes in a single campaign which had stood for 28 years.
And the former Newcastle and Blackburn Rovers striker, who celebrated when second-top scorer Kane left for Bayern Munich in 2023 as it meant his record was safe, is resigned to the fact that the Norwegian will eventually usurp him as the league's record marksman.
"Yes, Haaland is the perfect centre-forward. His record is phenomenal, appetite to score is fantastic. I love it," Shearer, who scored 260 Premier League goals, told "He’s quick, strong, agile, he reacts quicker than most around the six-yard box which is impressive and his ability to put the ball in the back of the net is magnificent.
"Haaland could definitely break my Premier League goal record. There’s no doubt that if he does another seven or eight years, maybe even less then he’ll have a brilliant chance of breaking it. But there’s so many ifs and different things that could happen to that."
Asked about toppling Shearer's all-time record, Haaland said: "I know about it but I don't think too much about it."
