Erling Haaland equals Premier League record with 50th Manchester City goal

Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring for Manchester City against Fulham in April 2023.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Erling Haaland has equalled the record for the most goals in a Premier League season, scoring from the penalty spot to give Manchester City the lead away to Fulham.

Haaland's third-minute opener was his 50th goal this term in all competitions – and his 34th in the Premier League, equalling the all-time high first set by Andy Cole for Newcastle in 1993/94, then by Alan Shearer for Blackburn in 1994/95.

But those were both 42-game campaigns – which makes Haaland's prolific exploits all the more incredible.

The Norwegian hitman broke Mo Salah's 38-match season record of 32 goals when he capped off City's 4-1 thrashing of Arsenal in midweek – a result which may well ultimately secure a third successive title for Pep Guardiola's reigning champions.

Only seven of the 22-year-old's 34 Premier League goals have come from the penalty spot – meaning that even without them, he'd still be three clear of Harry Kane in the Golden Boot race.

And with City definitely having nine fixtures remaining in all competitions – 10 if they reach the final of the Champions League – it's not beyond the realms of possibility that Haaland surpasses Dixie Dean's record for the most goals in a single campaign by a player from England's top flight: he's struck 17 times in his last 10 appearances.

Dean scored an astonishing 65 goals in league and cup for Everton way back in 1927/28.

Tom Hancock

Tom Hancock started freelancing for FourFourTwo in April 2019 and has also written for the Premier League and Opta Analyst, among others. He supports Wycombe Wanderers and has a soft spot for Wealdstone. A self-confessed statto, he has been known to watch football with a spreadsheet (or several) open...