Erling Haaland's incredible stats show he is on track to beat Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's goal scoring record
Manchester City have started their season with intent, as they raced to a 4-1 victory over Ipswich Town at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, August 24. Erling Haaland was once again the star of the show, scoring his 10th hat-trick in Manchester City colors.
Pep Guardiola’s men were given an early scare when Ipswich took the lead in the seventh minute through Sammie Szmodics. However, City’s response was impressive, as they scored three times in the next nine minutes. Haaland found the net twice (12', 16'), with Kevin De Bruyne (14') adding a goal as well.
With a two-goal lead, the hosts slowed their tempo in the second half, but Haaland still managed to complete his hat-trick late in the game (88') with a stunning strike from outside the box, beating goalkeeper Arijanet Muric.
This goal marked Haaland’s 94th for Manchester City and his 260th career goal in just 317 appearances. A comparison with the career stats of football greats Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo at the age of 24 certainly highlights Haaland’s incredible achievements.
At the same age, Messi had scored 197 goals in 326 appearances, while Ronaldo had 132 goals in 362 appearances. Guardiola himself suggested that his star striker could compete with these modern-day legends in terms of sheer goal-scoring numbers.
“He did it in Salzburg and in Germany; the numbers are ridiculous. He can compete in terms of goals with Cristiano and Messi. The numbers are unbelievable at his age," Guardiola said. (via eurosport)
Haaland scored 86 goals in just 89 games for his previous club, Borussia Dortmund, while he netted 29 goals for RB Salzburg and 20 goals for Molde FK. Both Messi and Ronaldo, meanwhile, have over 800 goals for their club and country so far.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola feels Erling Haaland is back to his best
Erling Haaland’s first season at Manchester City was remarkable, as he scored 52 goals across all competitions and helped the club secure a historic treble. Last season, however, was more challenging for him. He suffered a few injuries and managed to score just 38 goals, which fell short of his usual standards, despite still winning the Premier League Golden Boot.
After a two-month break following last season, the 24-year-old appears to be back to his best, scoring freely once again. Guardiola expressed his delight with Haaland’s fitness levels and believes that the break has helped him rejuvenate and return to form.
“I said a few weeks ago he feels better than previous seasons. He struggled to handle it, maybe not too much holidays. I remember at the beginning he said I’m tired, I’m a little drained. This season with no Euros and relaxed, he arrived really well" Gurdiola said.
“When there is something wrong, always there is something coming that is positive. When you have a defeat, take the positive and move forward. He would have loved to have gone to Euros with Norway. It was not the case. Okay, relax, play good this season and try to help Norway qualify for the next tournament," he added. (via Manchester City website)
Haaland and Manchester City will next take on West Ham United at the London Stadium on August 31, just before the international break.