Erling Haaland once again fired Manchester City to victory against Brentford on Sunday and, after the win, spoke about his goal-scoring spree this season. The Norwegian has already scored eighteen goals in eleven official matches this campaign for City and the Norway national team.
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Erling Haaland once again proved to be the difference-maker for Manchester City as he fired the defending champions to a hard-fought 0-1 victory away at Brentford on Sunday.
The Norwegian striker needed just nine minutes to make his mark, latching onto a chance and showing his trademark composure and physical power to score what turned out to be the only goal of the game. The win kept City firmly in contention at the top end of the Premier League table, and it also underlined Haaland’s ever-growing importance to Pep Guardiola’s side.
The goal not only secured three points for City, but also cemented Haaland’s position at the top of the Premier League scoring charts. With nine goals in just seven league appearances this season, the 24-year-old continues to set the pace in the Golden Boot race. Remarkably, only twice before has a player managed to score more often in their first seven Premier League matches of a campaign and on both occasions it was Haaland himself. He netted eleven times in seven matches during his debut season in 2022/23, and ten goals in the same span during the 2024/25 campaign, proving that his consistency in front of goal is unlike anything English football has ever seen.
Haaland’s strike against Brentford also extended his remarkable run of scoring in consecutive matches. The forward has now found the back of the net in nine straight appearances for both club and country, the longest scoring streak of his professional career. From the Champions League to international fixtures with Norway, Haaland has been relentless, punishing defences with a combination of speed, strength, and an uncanny ability to be in the right place at the right time. For many observers, he has elevated himself beyond being just a prolific goalscorer he is redefining what it means to be a modern striker.
After the match, Haaland gave an intriguing explanation for his current form. Speaking to Sky Sports, he admitted that becoming a father late last year has had a profound effect on him, both on and off the pitch. “The presence of my child makes me even better,” he said. “When I am at home, I don’t think about football at all. I have never felt as good as I do now. When you are young, you think about nothing but football and certain things keep playing in your mind. Now when I come home, I relax even more, so I think I owe that to my son.”
The personal milestone has clearly given Haaland a fresh perspective, helping him to balance the pressures of elite sport with the grounding influence of family life. While other players may struggle with the demands of fatherhood alongside football, Haaland insists it has been a source of strength, giving him extra motivation and a sense of peace that translates directly into his performances.
He also revealed that he had received an unexpected spark of motivation from his direct opponent in the match, Brentford defender Sepp van den Berg. “I was a bit tired before the match. When I came onto the pitch, I thought: oh, this is going to be a tough game,” Haaland explained with a smile. “But after ten seconds he started pushing me, and that motivated me. So I’m very grateful to him.” Haaland’s words highlighted his competitive edge the ability to turn even a small challenge or provocation into fuel for his extraordinary performances.
The victory against Brentford also drew attention from pundits and former players, many of whom are running out of superlatives to describe Haaland’s impact. Among them was Sky Sports analyst Jamie Carragher, who did not hold back in his assessment. “I think we are looking at the best goalscorer of all time in English football,” Carragher declared. “I honestly can’t remember Jimmy Greaves, Dixie Dean, or all the strikers from long ago. But I think of Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, Harry Kane, and Ian Rush. What we are witnessing now with Haaland is something we’ve never seen before in football.”
Carragher’s comments reflect a growing belief that Haaland is not only on course to dominate English football but could also leave a legacy as one of the greatest centre-forwards in the history of the game. His numbers already speak volumes: record-breaking goal tallies in his first Premier League season, a Champions League winners’ medal with City, and now a continuation of that lethal form into the current campaign. At just 24 years of age, Haaland still has many years ahead of him at the highest level, making his ceiling almost unimaginable.
Beyond the statistics, what makes Haaland so remarkable is the variety of ways he can score. Whether it is using his towering physique to bully defenders, his acceleration to break behind high lines, or his precise finishing with either foot, he consistently finds ways to trouble opponents. Brentford were only the latest side to experience that frustration, as Van den Berg’s early physicality backfired, igniting Haaland’s competitive fire.
For Manchester City, the win was another step in their pursuit of yet more silverware. Guardiola has often said that the team’s structure allows Haaland to thrive, but the Norwegian continues to repay that faith by delivering in the moments that matter most. Matches like the one against Brentford, where space is limited and chances are scarce, are precisely the occasions where a striker of Haaland’s calibre proves invaluable.
As the season progresses, City fans will be hoping Haaland can stay fit and maintain this extraordinary rhythm. If he does, records will continue to tumble, and the comparisons with legends of the game will only grow louder. What is already clear, however, is that Erling Haaland is not just another striker enjoying a hot streak he is a generational talent reshaping the landscape of English football.
Updated: 10:29, 6 Oct 2025
