The Premier League (PL) is one of the most iconic football tournaments globally, with many a legend being born during its seasons. With the 2023/24 season nearing its last two months, the season is heating up, with Manchester City defending their three-time championship title.
Manchester City is an excellent team, winning the 2017/18 to 2018/19 seasons before it started its winning streak. While Erling Haaland wasn’t there to carry the wins in the 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons, many believe he played a major role in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons. Let’s see what this legendary striker achieved for Man City.
Haaland’s Career
Haaland was born in 2000 in Leeds and has a history of football. His father used to play for Leeds United but had to retire at 30 due to injuries. However, with his father’s encouragement, Haaland started playing the sport, joining Bryne’s Youth Academy.
The coach at the club said he was instantly captivated by Haaland. He had an aggressive attack style and was playing with the group a year above him. Haaland entered the international scene when he played for the Under-15s in the 2015/16 season.
While it might have taken a while, many clubs took note of this exceptional player, and soon, he transferred to Molde as the next step in his career. After he scored four goals in a single game against the then-league leader, Brann Bergen, his name became known globally.
Transfer to Manchester City
Erling is now on a roll, as he keeps scoring in the PL. Keep up with the latest updates of the Premier League to see how he progresses, but where did it all start?
Haaland’s debut in the Premier League came in 2022 after Manchester City reached an agreement with Borussia Dortmund on Erling’s transfer. While the striker had various injuries that season that presented a challenge, Man City believed in his talent and skill. They signed him on with a $62.6 million deal, and he’s still playing for them.
Man City’s Performance
While no one can deny that Erling is a phenomenal player, is he the reason for Man City’s success? Before we can answer that question, we need to look into the team’s play history.
Before Haaland
Man City has many fans, with bags and other merchandise showing their popularity even before Haaland joined. The team had nine championship wins in the Premier League, with seven of them happening after 2010.
Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling, Ilkay Gundogan, and Riyad Mahrez took the lead scorer title in the seasons before Erling. At that time, the top scorer’s goals fell between 17 and 32. The team lost eight matches in their 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons, winning 47 and 41 games.
After Haaland
After Haaland joined the team in 2022, he became the top goal scorer of the 2022/23 season with a whopping 52 goals to his name. While the 2023/24 season is still ongoing, it seems to be heading in the same direction.
So far, Erling has scored 29 goals, which is 11 more than his runner-up, Phil Foden. Man City has only had four losses, with eight ties and winning 32 of the 44 matches they’ve played so far. Haaland also broke Andy Cole’s record to reach 50 goals within 43 games, as Erling did it within 39 games.
What to Expect Going Forward
While we wouldn’t say Erling Haaland is carrying the Man City team, he definitely plays a significant role in it. Personal accounts state that Haaland brings energy to the field and that, more than his skill, is something we could see as the secret to success. After all, football is a team sport, and while Haaland is making headways, he’s doing so as a team member of the prestigious Manchester City sports club.