"I don’t think we’ll ever see it again" - Manchester City star believes Erling Haaland's PL goals record last season might never be broken
Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden has claimed that Erling Haaland's record goal-scoring season last year will never be surpassed. The England international lauded his club teammate's finishing ability and performances last term.
Foden said in an interview with BBC (as quoted by Eurosport):
“I love the way he is. I love how he always wants more from himself, he’s not just happy with the way he is, and he’s still so young it’s crazy to say it. And what he did last year, I don’t think we’ll ever see it again to be honest unless he breaks his own record."
He added:
“He’s so demanding of himself, and if we can find him in those areas, we know he’s always going to be in the right position. He’s got this instinct for goal, it’s just a pleasure to play with someone who’s this good.”
Haaland was in exceptional form for Manchester City last season after arriving from Borussia Dortmund. He also won the Golden Boot for his exploits in the Premier League. The Norwegian forward scored 36 goals in 35 games, the most ever by a player in a single season in the English top tier.
Overall, he racked up 52 goals and nine assists in 53 games across all competitions. The Manchester City forward has kickstarted this season in emphatic fashion as well, scoring six goals and providing one assist in his side's first four league encounters.
“It’s more of a confidence thing" - Phil Foden speaks on Erling Haaland's role in Manchester City's mentality for games
Foden also said that Haaland plays a crucial role in the Manchester City team's mentality ahead of games. The England international insists that City are more confident knowing that a clinical finisher like the Norwegian forward is on their team.
He also admitted that the Cityzens must think of themselves as champions when going into encounters. When asked if Manchester City go into games with the same expectation for winning as the fans and the media, the midfielder said in the aforementioned interview with BBC:
“Without being too arrogant, I think that’s how we have to go into games, knowing that we’re champions. It’s more of a confidence thing, you want to go into a game believing that you’re going to win."
He added:
“The players that we’ve got too – like Erling [Haaland], you can go into the game thinking he’s going to score every game. It’s just a nice feeling for us attackers to have a player like that who takes the pressure off you a little bit.”
Manchester City have had a great start to the 2023-24 Premier League campaign. Pep Guardiola's side are currently atop the league table after securing four wins in their first four encounters.