Stories

Football

Where does Haaland rank among the greatest Premier League strikers of all time

Erling Haaland is producing numbers like we have never seen before in the Premier League. He's on track to break almost every goal scoring record in the league. Just after few seasons, where does he rank among the greatest to do it?

Erling Haaland has proven himself to be one of the best strikers of this current generation. He came into the Premier League from Borussia Dortmund in 2022 and since then he has been firing on all cylinders, dominating the goal scoring charts, and breaking records that has been set since way back.

Less than three years since his Premier League debut against West Ham, he has scored over 100 goals, reaching that milestone in just 111 games breaking Alan Shearer's record by 13 games.

His time in the league has been full of record breaking numbers. He scored 36 goals in his first season, breaking the previous record (34) held by Alan Shearer and Andy Cole.

Alan Shearer
Andy Cole in a Manchester United home jersey

Alan Shearer

How he scores

The difference between Haaland and other icons in the Premier League isn't only about the amount of goals he scores, but how he scores them. A 6'4 rock solid figure with explosiveness and elite box movement is like a textbook example of a perfect striker.

Lots of teams come up with tactical ways to stop him, some teams sit deep to close down the space and they get punished for it in the air. Teams that play highline can't also keep up with his timed runs.

The penalty area is where he shines the most. Almost all of his first 100 goals came from inside the box, this is a reflection of his elite movement and ability to get a shot off even in awkward positions


Comparing Haaland with Premier league Icons

The conversation has always been how Haaland's performances looks like when compared to the league's greatest forwards.

1. Alan Shearer

Alan Shearer is the current leading all time goal scorer in the league's history with 260 goals in 441 appearances across 14 seasons which translates to 0.59 goals per game. Shearer has always been the benchmark for consistency and longevity

By contrast, Haaland has moved in a completely different pace. He hit the 100 PL goal mark in just 111 games which translates to averaging 0.68 goals per game.

2. Thierry Henry

Henry revolutionized the "complete forward" role in football. He scored 175 goals in the league (0.68 goals per game), while still having incredible creative output. Henry's strength wasn't just in his goal scoring, he was also an incredible player to watch.

Haaland doesn't have Henry's creative influence, neither does he have his skills and flair but his goal scoring numbers are way above Henry's. Haaland's best season produced 36 league goals, nine more than Henry's highest tally of 27. 

3. Sergio Aguero

The Manchester City forward scored 184 premier league goals in 275 appearances. His legacy in the league is largely built on his iconic moments and late stunners. He was a reliable striker and a big game player.

Unlike Aguero who shines when the light is brightest, Haaland's strength comes in numbers and not in the big moments.

Thierry Henry
Aguero

Thierry Henry

Where does Haaland Stand?

There's no doubt Erling Haaland is on his way to becoming the greatest Premier League striker ever. The question isn't if he will, it's when will he. He has already broken multiple goal scoring records, while winning silverwares along the way.

The question of when rests on multiple factors like his fitness and career choices

As of this moment, with every goal being scored he keeps reaffirming his position as a future Hall of famer


Comments (0)

Loading comments...

Latest Posts

Page 1 of 11
Chelsea fined £10.75m and given suspended transfer ban: did the Premier League get it right?

Chelsea fined £10.75m and given suspended transfer ban: did the Premier League get it right?

Chelsea made £47.5m in secret payments under Roman Abramovich and walked away with a fine and a suspended ban. With Everton and Forest both docked points for lesser offences, the Premier League has some serious questions to answer.

Max Dowman: The 16-year-old who just became the Premier League's youngest scorer

Max Dowman: The 16-year-old who just became the Premier League's youngest scorer

Max Dowman came off the bench, created Arsenal's first goal and then scored from his own half in stoppage time to break a 21-year Premier League record against Everton. Here's everything you need to know about the teenager

Premier League clubs’ Champions League struggles: What went wrong?

Premier League clubs’ Champions League struggles: What went wrong?

No Premier League side won their Champions League round of 16 first leg. Beyond the individual collapses, there’s a structural problem with England’s football calendar that’s been hurting English clubs in Europe for years.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Champions League | Round of 16, First Leg | Match Report

Champions League | Round of 16, First Leg | Match Report

Atletico Madrid crush Tottenham 5-2 in the Champions League as Antonin Kinsky’s disastrous debut and Diego Simeone’s tactics leave Spurs in chaos

Why Khvicha Kvaratskhelia could be exactly what Arsenal are missing

Why Khvicha Kvaratskhelia could be exactly what Arsenal are missing

Here is why Khvicha Kvaratskhelia star could be the attacking piece Mikel Arteta’s side has been missing.

Nuno Espirito Santo sues Nottingham Forest while battling them in relegation fight

Nuno Espirito Santo sues Nottingham Forest while battling them in relegation fight

Sacked after just three games, Nuno Espirito Santo is now suing Nottingham Forest while competing against them in a tight Premier League relegation battle.

More from this Author

Page 1 of 5