PREMIER LEAGUE
How many goals does Erling Haaland need to set a new Premier League goalscoring record?
The Manchester City striker has scored 16 goals in his last nine games in all competitions ahead of Sunday’s trip to Fulham.
At one point earlier in the season, it felt as if Manchester City striker Erling Haaland was going to blitz the Premier League goalscoring record before the turn of the year. Despite his continued exploits in front of goal, the Norwegian hasn’t quite got there just yet, although he needs just one more to match the 34-goal tally set by Andy Cole (Newcastle United) and Alan Shearer (Blackburn Rovers) in the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons respectively. It should be pointed out, however, that the England internationals achieved the feat in 42-game seasons, with Shearer featuring in every Premier League game for Rovers and Cole playing in 40 for the Magpies.
Haaland, meanwhile, has made only 29 league appearances so far and won’t make more than 36. Given his current form, there is every chance that former Borussia Dortmund hitman will break the record against Fulham on Sunday and reach 50 goals in all competitions this season (he currently has 49). There can be little doubt he is the world’s deadliest marksman.
A lot at stake for City, little for Fulham
Whether Haaland finds the net or not at Craven Cottage will very much be secondary for City boss Pep Guardiola, who will expect to see his team leapfrog Arsenal, who don’t play against Chelsea until Tuesday, at the top of the table. As things stand, the Sky Blues are two points behind the Gunners, who they handsomely defeated on Wednesday, but have two games in hand. Fulham, meanwhile, appear to have little left to play for. They are nine points adrift of fifth, which is a Europa League spot, and are mathematically safe from relegation.
City’s ‘kind’ fixtures before Champions League semi-final vs Real Madrid
The game in London will be the first of three (West Ham and Leeds United are up next) that City will be looking to win to ensure that they can fully focus on the firs leg of the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid. “I haven’t prepared anything yet”, admitted Guardiola when asked about the European clash on Friday. On paper, a run of games against opposition in the bottom half of the standings seems to be the perfect way to keep confidence high ahead of the biggest game of the season so far.