Erling Haaland breaks Wayne Rooney's incredible record as Manchester City extend their incredible feat
Erling Haaland and Manchester City are already enjoying a record-breaking start to the Premier League campaign.
City goal machine Haaland sensationally scored his eighth and ninth league goal of the new campaign on Saturday in a 2-1 win for the hosts at the Etihad.
This time it was against Brentford, with Haaland first cancelling out Yoane Wissa's opener to make it 1-1, then adding a second to put City ahead after suffering an early setback.
The same thing happened in their second game of the season against Ipswich, when Pep Guardiola's men conceded an early goal before recovering to crush the Tractor Boys 4-1.
Haaland scored a hat-trick in that match.
He then scored another hat-trick in the following game against West Ham, adding to the goal he scored in City's 2-0 win over Chelsea on the opening weekend.
His double against Brentford means last season's Golden Boot winner has broken Wayne Rooney's 13-year-old record.
The previous record for goals in a team's first four games of a Premier League campaign was eight by Rooney. Manchester United in 2011/12.
Haaland had already broken the feat of most goals scored by a player in a team's first three games in a Premier League campaign (7) after his hat-trick against the Hammers.
But he now has the all-time record under his belt – yet another one – after scoring two quickfire goals against the Bees.
Had Haaland scored a hat-trick against Brentford, he would have become the first person to score a hat-trick in three consecutive league games since Liverpool's Jack Balmer in 1946.
Reacting to Haaland’s ridiculous goal tally, talkSPORT co-commentator and former Premier League striker Darren Bent said: “Honestly, every game it’s just hat-trick after hat-trick.
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“But honestly, the benefits of him not playing in the summer is that he's come back looking sharper than ever.
“And that's worrying for the rest of the league.”
Haaland was unable to play in Euro 2024 after Norway failed to qualify.
But while stars from England and other European countries were giving their all at the tournament in Germany, Haaland was preparing for this season.
And he was clearly eager to get started.
His 72 Premier League goals mean he has surpassed Manchester United legend Eric Cantona's tally of 70, having done so in 86 fewer games. He has scored 99 goals for City in total.
Manchester City themselves have extended an astonishing all-time record against Brentford.
After winning their first four games in English football's top flight this season, they have now done so on nine occasions.
That record began in 1903/04, before doing the same in 1912/13, in 1961/62, in 2009/10, 2011/12, 2015/16, 2016/17, 2023/24 and now again in 2024/25.
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