'A bit unreal to be honest': Erling Haaland's incredible numbers as he sets goals record

Erling Haaland's record-breaking season continued Wednesday when the Manchester City striker netted his 35th Premier League goal of the season to surpass Alan Shearer and Andy Cole's mark.

The Norwegian striker showed swiftness of foot and subtlety in front of goal by racing clear to score City's second in a 3-0 win over West Ham United at the Etihad Arena that put the English champions back on top of the table.

"A bit unreal to be honest," said Haaland on the scale of the achievement.

"I wasn't thinking of this kind of record when I came here and to break it means I've done something special and I'm really proud of this moment."

Haaland's strike rate puts even his much-vaunted predecessors, who played in the era of 42-game seasons, in the shade.

By contrast, Haaland, who joined City last summer from Borussia Dortmund for €60 million, has reached 35 goals at a rate of one every 72 minutes in just 31 appearances.

Former Blackburn, Newcastle and England striker Shearer lauded Haaland's achievement and his attributes.

"If you were building a centre-forward from the ground up, Erling is what you would be left with," Shearer told The Athletic.

"He's a goal machine, someone who is quick and direct, who is physically strong and good in the air, who can score with both feet and whose positioning is fantastic."

City manager Pep Guardiola could afford himself a wry smile when he thinks back to the beginning of the season when, after Haaland failed to score in the Community Shield defeat to Liverpool all the talk was that the Norwegian would struggle to adapt to the Premier League.

City won back-to-back league titles playing largely without an attacking focal point but any suggestion they could be thrown off course by Haaland's arrival has proved unfounded.

"I remember [the stories that] he will not adjust to the Premier League," Guardiola reminded reporters on Wednesday.

"We knew he scored goals everywhere and thought he could do it. He understands what we want to do but we have to admit the impact of how he adjusted to the team and the league was so quick.

"Immediately we saw he is a guy when you provide him balls, he can score all different types of goals."

Haaland has now scored 51 goals in all competitions in his first season in England. On Wednesday, his achievement earned him a guard of honour from his teammates as he left the field.

“When there is a special occasion we have to show how special it is,” said Guardiola of an occasion that also saw the club celebrate 1,000 goals in the Premier League. “Today it was with Erling and to overcome the position of Andy Cole and Alan Shearer. They are incredible top strikers, so it’s special.”

It is not just the Premier League title that Haaland’s goals are firing City toward, but the Champions League and FA Cup as well as the club pursues a treble of trophies.

The English champions face Real Madrid in the semi-finals of the Champions League and take on Manchester United in the FA Cup final on June 3.

Guardiola knows a good striker when he sees one having previously coached the likes of Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski and Sergio Aguero.

While City battle to retain their Premier League title – Wednesday's win took them back above Arsenal by one point and still with a game in hand – it is whether Guardiola can win the Champions League with City by which most will judge him by.

Inspired by a peak Messi, Guardiola twice coached Barcelona to European Cup wins.

It feels like Haaland could have a similarly inspirational effect on City to end his manager's search for a first European crown since 2011.

“We cannot achieve if the club does not provide us with great strikers, top quality players upfront. It’s not possible,” Guardiola said.

Haaland, meanwhile, does not seem to be distracted by his march toward the history books.

“We cannot keep thinking of these records, my head would become crazy so I don’t think of these things,” he said. “I will go home, play some video games and then sleep.”