Erling Haaland smashed his way into Premier League history on Tuesday night, becoming the fastest player to reach 100 league goals as Manchester City clung on for a bonkers 5-4 win at Fulham.
The Norwegian lashed home his milestone strike on 17 minutes and did it in just 111 top flight matches, battering the old record held by Alan Shearer, who needed 124 to get there. He celebrated like a man who knows he’s stacking numbers for fun, even though he’d gone three games without scoring and people was muttering about a “mini drought”.
City looked home and dry when Phil Foden rattled in a brace either side of half-time and Jeremy Doku forced an own goal, sending Pep Guardiola’s lot 5-1 up and cruising. Fulham, though, weren’t having any of it. The place turned chaos as Alex Iwobi, then Samuel Chukwueze, hauled Marco Silva’s side right back into it, and City’s back line started wobbling again like it has far too often lately.
It ended with City booting the ball anywhere in eight minutes of stoppage time, Haaland’s big night nearly ruined when Josh King’s late effort was somehow hacked off the line by Josko Gvardiol.
City, who stay second and close the gap to Arsenal to two points, have now beaten Fulham 19 times in a row in all comps, which is actually the longest winning run against a single opponent in English football history. Impressive, but Guardiola will not be thrilled with another meltdown, especially after blowing a lead against Leeds at the weekend.
Haaland, signed from Dortmund in 2022, already sits on 15 league goals this season and 20 in all comps. But Shearer’s all time record of 260 still looks miles away, even with City creating chances as if they’ve got a cheat code.
There was quality in there too, not just carnage. Haaland’s finish was pure violence, then he turned playmaker with a neat ball for Tijjani Reijnders to chip home. Foden, who’s enjoying this slightly deeper creative gig, pinged in a screamer before taking his second with the sort of calm swagger he’s been showing lately.
Then everything fell apart again. Donnarumma flapped at a corner, defenders switched off, and Fulham suddenly had City hanging on for dear life. They survived, just about, on a night that belonged to Haaland but almost went completely sideways.
City keeps winning, but this defence won’t win them a title playing like that. Luckily for them, Haaland’s still making history while the roof leaks behind him.
