Erling Braut Haaland will be looking to break a Premier League record set by former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry when champions Manchester City travel to Brentford on Sunday.
Erling Braut Haaland will be looking to break a Premier League record set by Thierry Henry when champions Manchester City travel to Brentford on Sunday.
The 22-year-old, who has won the 2022-23 Premier League Player & Young Player of the Season awards, is also set to claim the Golden Boot award in his debut campaign with the Citizens having scored 36 league goals in 35 appearances, eight more than his nearest challenger Harry Kane (28).
Earlier this month, Haaland became the first player in Premier League history to score at least 35 goals in the same season, surpassing the previous record held by both Alan Shearer and Andy Cole (34), before netting his 36th goal in a 3-0 win at Everton two weeks ago.
Haaland has since drawn a blank in his last two league games, although he did provide an assist for Phil Foden in Wednesday’s 1-1 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion.
With 36 goals and now eight assists, City’s No.9 has contributed to a total of 44 goals in the Premier League this term, a joint-record in a 38-game season along with former Arsenal forward Thierry Henry.
Henry, a Premier League and Gunners legend, scored 24 goals and provided 20 assists in 37 matches during the 2002-03 season.
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It remains to be seen whether Pep Guardiola will decide to play Haaland in Sunday’s clash with Brentford either from the start or as a substitute, with one eye on finals in the FA Cup and Champions League next month.
Nevertheless, should the Norwegian play in some capacity and contribute with either a goal or an assist, he will break the record for the most goal contributions by a player in a 38-game Premier League season.
Haaland failed to score or provide an assist in Man City’s last meeting with Brentford in which the Bees won 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium in December.
However, Haaland has enjoyed his visits to London this season as he has scored five of City’s nine Premier League goals in the English capital.
Should the Scandinavian striker find the net at the Gtech Community Stadium, he will become the first-ever Citizens player to score six goals in London in the same season, surpassing both Sergio Aguero (five in 2015-16) and Edin Dzeko (also five in 2011-12).
Man City’s visit to Brentford will be their 1,000th Premier League game, becoming the 10th club to reach the landmark; six of the previous nine sides won their milestone match (Arsenal, Aston Villa, Liverpool, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United), while the other three suffered defeat (Chelsea, Everton and Newcastle United).
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