Haaland Breaks Scoring Drought, Continues Premier League Legacy

Erling Haaland entered the match having not scored in consecutive games for the first time this season, following a barren spell against Newcastle and Leeds, and also failing to find the net as a substitute in the Champions League match against Bayer Leverkusen. However, he ended this brief drought by scoring in the 17th minute at Craven Cottage, further etching his name into Premier League history.

Haaland powered in a cut-back from Jeremy Doku with his preferred left foot, breaking the deadlock against Fulham. This goal marked his seventh consecutive strike against the Cottagers. Remarkably, he became only the 35th player to reach the milestone of 100 Premier League goals. At just 25 years old and with a contract extending to 2034, he is well-positioned to join the ranks of Wayne Rooney, Harry Kane, and Alan Shearer, who are the only players to have scored 200 or more goals in the Premier League.

In his inaugural season with Manchester City, Haaland made history by scoring 36 goals, surpassing the previous record of 34 goals in a single campaign set by Alan Shearer and Andy Cole, a record that stood for 28 years. Although Haaland has expressed that he does not focus on records, he is certainly aware of Shearer’s all-time record of 260 goals.

Shearer, the former Newcastle and Blackburn Rovers striker, who was pleased when second-top scorer Kane transferred to Bayern Munich in 2023, recognizing it would keep his record safe, has acknowledged that Haaland is on a trajectory to eventually surpass him.

“Yes, I believe Haaland will break my record,” he stated in an interview with The Sun in October. “He’s the perfect striker; his records are unbelievable, and his hunger to score is relentless. He’s quick, strong, agile, and reacts faster than most players inside the six-yard box. His finishing ability is incredible.”