rling Haaland insists he is fully focused on Manchester City’s treble quest and not his growing list of individual scoring accolades as Dixie Dean’s legendary milestone now moves into view.
The Norwegian striker took his overall tally for his first season in English football to 51 with a superb chip in Wednesday’s comfortable 3-0 win over West Ham – City’s ninth straight top-flight win that saw them quickly replace title rivals Arsenal at the summit.
More importantly, it was Haaland’s 35th Premier League goal in just 31 appearances – setting a new single-season scoring record for the division, eclipsing the previous mark jointly-held by top-flight legends Alan Shearer and Andy Cole.
Such an incredible achievement came just a matter of days after the 22-year-old had become the first top-flight player to reach a half-century of goals in one season since Tom ‘Pongo’ Waring did it for Aston Villa back in 1930-31.
But a “happy and proud” Haaland insists he is not thinking about all these tumbling records as he tries to deliver City a hat-trick of trophies in the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup.
Records tumble: Erling Haaland has eclipsed Alan Shearer and Andy Cole with his goalscoring
/ Manchester City FC via Getty ImagesAsked about potentially matching or surpassing Everton icon Dean’s record of 63 goals in one season in 1927-28, Haaland told Sky Sports: “No, I don’t think of this now. I will sleep on this game and wake up tomorrow and I think of trying to get three points here against Leeds.
“It will not be easy with a new manager [Sam Allardyce] and everything, but we cannot keep thinking about these records. My head would become crazy, I would become crazy in my head so I don’t think of this.
“I will go home now and play some video games, eat something and then sleep. That’s what I’ll do and tomorrow we have to start thinking about Leeds. That’s my life.”
Haaland clinched his latest record after West Ham had conceded possession all too easily to Bernardo Silva, with Jack Grealish then playing a perfect pass for his striker to collect and coolly loft over the on-rushing Lukasz Fabianski.
The former Borussia Dortmund and Red Bull Salzburg marksman was also treated to a guard of honour by his City team-mates after the full-time whistle, an experience he described as joyous but painful.
“You see what my first thought is, to run towards the goal,” Haaland added of his strike.
“Me and Jack spoke about it before the game. He wanted to give me the assist for the record-breaking goal and I knew I would get the ball there. I saw the keeper coming and it was a perfect ball from Jack.
“It was a nice feeling, as every single goal I score and especially to win the game is also really important. It was really painful this guard of honour. Everyone hit me in the back, but it was a nice thing and I’m really happy.
“As I said, everyone knows it is possible (the treble) but we cannot think of FA Cup final against Manchester United now. We play against Leeds in three days and if you do this, you are not good in your head.
“So, you have to think of the next game and focus because every single game, the last nine games are all finals.”
