The Terminator. Daemon. Goal Machine. None of Erling Haaland’s growing list of nicknames provoke thoughts of a breezy afternoon for opposing centre-backs.
And if they’re not intimidated by his branding, they certainly will be by his record. Now up to 135 outings for Manchester City, he’s already smashed home 118 goals — numbers that quite frankly would be difficult to keep pace with on a video game.
So far there’s just one English side that have managed to keep Haaland at bay since he arrived in Manchester in 2022 – their identity will probably shock you.
The one English side Erling Haaland couldn’t score against
Nine against West Ham United, six against Manchester United, four each against Arsenal and Tottenham. Haaland – ranked at no.3 in FourFourTwo's list of the best players in the world right now – has conquered almost every English side he’s faced since he landed at the Etihad Stadium.
All but one. That side? The unbreakable unit that is Plymouth Argyle.
Stats gathered by The Argyle Analyst on X reveal that the Pilgrims are the only English side that Haaland has faced for City that he hasn’t managed to score past.
They join an exclusive continental club that only Inter Milan, Juventus, Sporting, Red Star Belgrade and Argyle can boast of being in.
Now, some qualification is needed here. Haaland did only play 30 minutes against Plymouth in their recent FA Cup tie – one which the south-coast side lost 3-1 – and still managed to provide an assist. The Norway international has, of course, played many more minutes against most of the English sides he’s faced.
Nevertheless, a stat is a stat, and it’s one nobody can take away from the Pilgrims. So long as they don’t draw City in a cup next year, that is.
In FourFourTwo’s opinion, keeping out a half-injured striker for 30 minutes may not be the club’s biggest claim to fame, but it’s a great stat.
And, given that Plymouth are languishing at the wrong end of the Championship table, it may be a long time until the two meet again. With Haaland’s recent almost-10-year contract, there’s only a decade left to properly cement the record.
Haaland is worth €200m, according to Transfermarkt. City take on Nottingham Forest next, when Premier League action returns this weekend.
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