Erling Haaland cemented his status as a Premier League phenomenon on Tuesday night, scoring his 100th goal in the competition for Manchester City in their victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage.
The Anatomy of a Century
The raw statistics behind Haaland's century are staggering. Of his 100 Premier League goals, a dominant 71 have been scored with his left foot, 17 with his head, and 11 with his right. A solitary goal, number 49 against Chelsea, was famously bundled in with his backside. His chief supplier has been Kevin De Bruyne, who has provided 13 assists for the Norwegian striker.
Certain teams have felt his wrath more than others. Wolverhampton Wanderers have conceded 10 times to Haaland, with West Ham United letting in nine. Remarkably, since his arrival in England, only four West Ham players have scored more goals at the London Stadium than Haaland has managed as a visiting player.
Evolution of a Striker
While his early City career was defined by a ruthless, almost mechanical efficiency—typified by powerful runs between centre-backs, back-post tap-ins, and sudden finishes from crosses—a subtle evolution has been detectable. Analysing his century, a shift becomes apparent around the halfway mark.
The modern Haaland has added more finesse and variety. He now employs more deft dinks over goalkeepers, clever feints to create space on his right foot, and composed side-foot finishes that manipulate the keeper. Goal number 81 against Chelsea last season, where he spotted Robert Sánchez off his line and executed a perfect lob from distance, showcased this growing playfulness.
This development off the pitch mirrors his on-field growth. Haaland has begun to reveal more of his personality, engaging with fans through social media and displaying a self-aware sense of humour, moving beyond the image of a pure scoring asset.
A Legend in Context
Placing Haaland's achievement in historical context underscores its extraordinary nature. He sits above legends like Didier Drogba and Cristiano Ronaldo on the all-time Premier League scorers list, yet he reached his century in fewer than half the games it took either of them. His goals-per-game ratio is unparalleled in the modern era.
While some may point to Manchester City's dominance and a system built to serve him as mitigating factors, this does little to diminish the uniqueness of his talent. In an age increasingly dominated by pre-programmed set-pieces and data-driven attacking patterns, Haaland's blend of brute force and burgeoning ingenuity feels like a thrilling antidote.
The final question, as he continues to rewrite the record books under his nine-year contract, is not about the numbers he will eventually post, but about the lasting impression he leaves. He has transformed from a relentless scoring machine into a more complete, charismatic figure whose capacity to astonish shows no sign of diminishing. The Premier League is still gawping, and likely will be for years to come.
