The most goals scored in a century of English top-flight appearances marks the Norwegian down as the best pure striker of his generation.
Haaland must have the right service
How refreshing too to see a player who might be termed a more traditional centre-forward ripping up the handbook in the modern game.
In an age when more technical and diminutive players are lauded, that there’s still a place for a more physical exponent who cares little for the reputation of defenders up and down the country should encourage clubs to widen their criteria when it comes to procuring a new forward.
It is worth considering too that the caveat for a player with Haaland’s skill set to thrive is that he must have service.
All the 25-year-old is interested in is scoring goals. Not for him the need to drop deep and forage for chances himself.
A former City striker, Shaun Goater, used to elicit a ‘feed the goat and he will score’ chant from the Maine Road terraces, and whilst he clearly never inhabited the same rarified air in which Haaland works, the same applies.
Get him the ball in and around the opposition penalty box and the chances are he’ll score at least once. Dilly dally on the wings or in the build-up and you can forget it.
Who are the Norwegian's favourite EPL victims?
In all competitions for the club, Haaland has scored a sensational 127 goals in 148 games played, and also provided 19 assists.
Of those goals, 88 in England's top flight deserve further investigation. Who are his favourite victims and when is the Norwegian at his most dangerous for example?
As might be expected, playing in front of a home crowd is conducive to Haaland's success, with 48 of his goals coming at the Etihad Stadium.
There's a fairly even split in terms of when he scores too, with 25 coming in the first half of games there and 23 in the second.
Wolves are his favourite victims at home, with four goals against them in Manchester in 2023/24, and three during the 2022/23 season. Not to mention the three goals he's also plundered at Molineux.
Old Trafford not a happy hunting ground
Against arch rivals Man Utd, his hat-trick in a stunning 6-3 demolition back in 2022 remains a high point, as since then he's registered just the one goal against the Red Devils, which came in the second-half of their fixture at the Etihad in 23/24.
Haaland hasn't done half as well at Old Trafford, nor have the goals flowed particularly well at Stamford Bridge, Emirates Stadium, Anfield or the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Just 10 goals collectively have been scored at those grounds, with one coming in the first halves of the matches against Chelsea in 23/24 and 2024/25, and one each at Tottenham (24/25) and Man Utd (23/24).
The six second-half strikes have been against Arsenal in 22/23 and 24/25, the Chelsea and Man Utd games from 23/24, and two more at Tottenham in 23/24.
One of his happiest hunting grounds is West Ham's London Stadium.
It was there where Haaland opened his Premier League account with City, scoring both goals in a 2-0 win back in August 2022.
Another in East London came in the second half of the 23/24 game, whilst his hat-trick in 24/25 gives him a fine return of six goals against the Hammers in their own backyard.
48 scored on a Saturday
Interestingly, he's yet to find the net on a Monday.
Saturday remains his favoured day of the week for getting amongst the goals with 48 scored, followed by another 25 on a Sunday.
Wednesdays are his next favourite with nine goals scored in midweek, three more scored on Tuesday (two at Tottenham, one against Brentford), two on Friday (both at Burnley) and one on a Thursday (again at Tottenham).
What will surprise no one is that the vast majority of those 88 goals have been scored with Haaland's laser-like left foot.
On 62 separate occasions, the Norwegian has overpowered his direct opponent and managed to fire home with his favoured way to dispatch the opposition.
This is followed by 15 headed goals - perhaps not as many as you'd think given the player's stature - and 10 with his weaker right foot, leaving just the one from another part of his anatomy.
Plenty of time to beat Shearer's record
Though he still has 172 more goals to score in order to reach Alan Shearer's all-time Premier League record, you wouldn't bet against him achieving it.
Whilst the hunger and desire is still there, it remains an ambitious but achievable target - and that should concern every other team in the league.
