Next Hat-Trick: Haaland Draws Level With Trio Around Kane – “Erling Is Unstoppable”

In Premier League history

Thanks to striker Erling Haaland, English champions Manchester City remain undefeated after three games in the new Premier League season. The outstanding Norwegian scored all three goals in the 3-1 win at West Ham United for the third victory. The former Dortmund player scored in the 10th, 30th and 83rd minutes, increasing his hat-trick tally in the Premier League to eight. He had already scored three times last weekend.

In the history of the English top flight, only three professionals have scored more hat-tricks than Haaland, who with his latest success overtook Wayne Rooney and caught up with Harry Kane, Thierry Henry and Michael Owen. In contrast to the 24-year-old, one of the four most valuable footballers in the world with a market value of 180 million euros, the other three have played far more games. Haaland has played 69 games – 320, 258 and 326 for Kane, Henry and Owen respectively. At the top is another ex-Man City professional, Sergio Agüero.

Coach Pep Guardiola once again praised his protégé, who has now scored 97 goals in 102 appearances, and described him as “unstoppable”. “Erling is unstoppable, there is no central defender who can stop him,” explained the coach, and continued: “He plays much better in all areas. It’s also the details… he stays 20 minutes or half an hour longer after training sessions. Last season he didn’t do a single session because he didn’t feel well – he was tired, had sore muscles.” Haaland also shines not only with his goals. “He didn’t lose a single ball and played incredibly well – defensively and offensively.”