In the opening round of the new Premier League season, Erling Haaland put on an impressive performance. At Stamford Bridge, Haaland scored a spectacular goal, helping Manchester City secure a 2-0 victory over Chelsea to start their campaign on a winning note.
It’s worth noting that Haaland has often been questioned for not being a “big game player,” as he lacked goals in some significant matches. However, such claims may underestimate his capabilities. In addition to winning the Premier League Golden Boot consecutively, Haaland has displayed remarkable goal-scoring efficiency against other top Premier League teams. Last season, he netted 27 goals in the Premier League, with 8 of them coming against the “Big Six” teams.
Specifically, Manchester United was breached by Haaland both home and away, conceding 2 goals at home and 1 away; Chelsea also conceded 2 goals each at home and away; Tottenham faced a “brace” from Haaland; while Liverpool also conceded a goal to him. The only team that remained unscathed was Arsenal.
At the start of the new season, Haaland has already breached Chelsea’s defenses. Statistics show that in 20 appearances against the TOP 6 teams since joining Manchester City, he has scored 15 goals and provided 7 assists.
Pep Guardiola’s favoritism towards Haaland is justified. Against Chelsea, Haaland demonstrated his comprehensive skills—intense pressing, suppressing the opposition defense, and exceptional finishing—all of which earned Guardiola’s praise. After the game, Guardiola claimed that Haaland has reached the level of Messi and Ronaldo.
In this match against Chelsea, Haaland celebrated his 100th appearance for Manchester City, contributing 91 goals and 15 assists. On average, he creates a goal every 76 minutes.
If Haaland maintains this remarkable goal-scoring efficiency, he is likely to claim the Premier League Golden Boot again this season, achieving a feat of being the Premier League’s top scorer for three consecutive seasons. For those still questioning his “big game player” status, they are simply nitpicking.
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