Haaland Claims Best Form Despite Stat Anomaly in Premier League

Manchester, England – Erling Haaland, the star striker for Manchester City, believes he is in the best form of his career this season, despite numbers indicating otherwise. With nine goals in seven Premier League matches, he is currently the league’s top scorer, three goals ahead of his closest competitor.

Remarkably, this is only the second-worst start to a season for Haaland since he joined the Premier League. In previous seasons, he scored 11 goals in his first seven games in 2022/23 and 10 in 2024/25. Both of those starts rank among the best in the league’s history.

“Yes, you can say so. I’ve never felt better than I do now,” Haaland said after scoring the decisive goal in a recent match against Brentford. The goal marked the first time he had found the net at the Gtech Community Stadium.

In addition to his club achievements, Haaland has also shone on the international stage, adding a hat trick against Israel during the recent international break, totaling 10 goals across 10 consecutive appearances for club and country.

So far this season, he has recorded 10 goals and three assists in his last seven matches for Manchester City and nine goals in his last three games for Norway, giving him an extraordinary total of 19 goals in 10 matches.

While he has not scored as many Premier League goals compared to previous seasons, Haaland seems to be performing at an even higher level. His physical presence on the pitch has become increasingly dominant. “It’s brute strength,” noted a teammate following Haaland’s early goal against Brentford.

Haaland’s rivalry with fellow strikers is compelling, especially with defenders like Gabriel and Saliba, whom he faced in a recent clash at the Emirates Stadium. Despite being heavily marked, he scored a breakaway goal and kept the defenders occupied throughout the match.

Notably, Haaland spends a considerable amount of time without the ball, averaging just 24.2 touches per 90 minutes. Nevertheless, he is recognized for his ability to press defensively and cover distance, ranking 10th among forwards in total distance covered this season.

His effectiveness in front of goal is unparalleled; Haaland averages 1.36 goals per 90 minutes and has an impressive Expected Goals (xG) rate of 1.16. This season, he averages more shots per game and is getting into better scoring positions than ever before.

Despite a fast start, there are questions about whether he can maintain his performance throughout the season, as he struggled after a strong beginning last season. Haaland stated the importance of mental preparation alongside physical readiness, suggesting he is focused on sustaining his current level of play.

As Manchester City continues their title challenge, how Haaland performs this season could significantly impact their journey. The early indications suggest that his rivals may have reason to be concerned.