Is Erling Haaland Reaching New Heights?
Erling Haaland, the Manchester City striker, believes he's playing the best football of his career right now. But do the stats back up his claim? Opta Analyst Ali Tweedale dives deep into Haaland's numbers to see if he can surpass his incredible goalscoring records this season.
While Haaland is currently the Premier League's top scorer with nine goals in seven games (three ahead of Antoine Semenyo), this is actually his *second-worst* start to a season since moving to England. In 2022/23, he bagged 11 goals in his first seven games, and 10 in the first seven of 2024/25.
However, comparing him to those exceptional starts isn't exactly fair. Those seasons represent the two best starts by any player in the Premier League era. In fact, Haaland is the only player to ever outscore Haaland in the first seven games of a Premier League campaign!
What's Different About Haaland This Season?
Even though he hasn't scored quite as many Premier League goals as in previous seasons, there's something different about Haaland in 2025/26. He seems even *better*. And he believes it too.
Haaland scored the winning goal in Manchester City's 1-0 victory against Brentford, showcasing impressive strength and composure. After the match, he told Sky Sports that he's "never felt better than I do now."
That goal also marked his ninth consecutive appearance with a goal for club and country, a first in his career. Is Haaland truly reaching a new level of performance? Only time will tell, but the early signs are certainly promising. Pep Guardiola's recent comments also suggest that the team is highly reliant on him, adding pressure but also highlighting his importance.