Manchester City striker Erling Haaland etched his name into Premier League history on Tuesday by reaching 100 league goals faster than anyone in the competition’s history, surpassing Alan Shearer’s long-standing record. The 25-year-old Norwegian achieved the milestone in just 111 games, breaking Shearer’s mark of 124 matches, in a thrilling 5–4 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage, in a match that kicked off at 1:00 AM IST on Wednesday.
Haaland, who could have represented England at international level, has continued his scintillating form this season, scoring 20 goals in 19 appearances across all competitions. Despite a rare goal drought in his previous three games, he returned to the scoresheet with a precise finish, steering Jeremy Doku’s cross into the net during the first half.
“It’s a proud moment,” Haaland said. “The 100 club is a huge thing. To do it this quickly is amazing. I’m proud, I’m happy. I’ve said it many times – a striker for City should score a lot of goals. That’s my job, and I’m not bad at it!”
Haaland’s milestone came in a dramatic match, as Manchester City nearly squandered a four-goal lead. After taking a commanding 5–1 advantage, Fulham mounted a remarkable fightback, with Alex Iwobi and substitute Samuel Chukwueze scoring three times in six minutes to make it 5–4. City had to cling on in the final minutes, with Josko Gvardiol clearing a last-ditch effort off the line, securing a nervy victory.
City boss Pep Guardiola praised Haaland’s achievement, calling it “incredible,” but admitted he was left bewildered by his team’s defensive collapse. “It’s the Premier League. You can’t control it,” he said. “When that happens, it’s just a question of survival. Don’t ask me how, the players don’t know either. At the end, we take it.”
With 15 goals in just 19 league matches this season, Haaland leads the Premier League scoring charts, with Brentford’s Igor Thiago his closest challenger on 11. Since joining Manchester City from Borussia Dortmund in 2022, Haaland has broken records at a remarkable pace, with his next aim likely being Alan Shearer’s all-time Premier League record of 260 goals.
Despite the scare against Fulham, Manchester City remain firmly in the title race, just two points behind leaders Arsenal. Guardiola remains confident about his side’s chances, saying: “The Premier League is so long. I have enough experience to make long runs and fight to win the Premier League.”
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