Statistics back Erling Haaland to succeed at Manchester City

Ever since the departure of Sergio Agüero, who enjoyed ten stellar seasons at Manchester City and was adored by the fans, the club has been working hard to find a world class replacement. Boasting a squad which is already brimming with creative attacking talents, they have now captured the most prolific centre-forward in European football, having signed Erling Haaland.

The Norwegian striker simply couldn’t resist the call of Manchester City, the club his father Alfie Haaland actually signed for during the same summer Erling was born, before suffering an injury that would prematurely end his professional career. Nevertheless, both father and son had always remained keen followers of the Citizens, hinting at a sense of destiny about this move.

Inevitably, 21-year-old Haaland comes highly recommended by his football peers, having set world football alight already with his towering stature, demonstrating his power and precision in the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund. Likewise, his performances on the continental stage have earned rave reviews, providing this young striker with a glowing reputation despite his tender age.

Best striker in world football?

While there are numerous metrics we can apply to players, whenever trying to calculate who is the best in the business, when it comes to centre-forwards there are none better than Haaland right now. Statistically speaking, during his last three campaigns at Borussia Dortmund, the only comparable player has been Robert Lewandowski at Bayern Munich, who will celebrate his 34th birthday this summer and wants to leave the German club.

Elsewhere, only veteran legends Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi came anywhere close, remnants of a golden era for both players, although neither can currently boast the kind of numbers Haaland is currently capable of producing. Indeed, no young attacking player of his generation is able to match the statistics of Haaland, making him a fantastic prospect for years to come at Manchester City.

Haaland has managed to score 86 goals from 89 appearances in all competitions, during the last three seasons at Borussia Dortmund, setting him apart as the most lethal young striker in world football. While there has been some conjecture surrounding how he will fit in at Manchester City, the Norwegian is blessed with fantastic technical ability, while manager Pep Guardiola will do everything possible to aid his adaption to the Premier League.

Already, the vast majority of online bookmakers are confident Haaland will settle quickly, valuing him as clear favourite to top the Premier League scoring charts. Fans are flocking to back the new Manchester City striker and inevitably, this also affects the odds available, shortening to reflect his popularity and potential. Of course, it also  makes good sense to read through some betting guides, including those which cover how odds are calculated.

Haaland is complimentary to Manchester City ambitions

As the reigning Premier League champions, the hunger for continued success is what currently drives everyone at Manchester City, although there is another major objective which fuels their ambitions. Despite their powerful spending to sign many of the best players around, manager Pep Guardiola has yet to deliver the UEFA Champions League trophy, now considered something of a ‘Holy Grail’ for the club and its fans.

Since the iconic Spanish coach arrived at the club in the summer 2016, Manchester City has often been tipped as favourites to win the Champions League title. The closest they came was reaching the 2020-21 final, ultimately losing that decisive game against Chelsea, before being eliminated in the 2021-22 semi-finals by Real Madrid. This competition continues to be a thorn in their sides, although landing the services of Haaland will serve as a massive boost.

Manchester City are more than capable of creating and scoring, as the distribution of goals throughout the team last season indicates, but having Haaland at the tip of the lance could make all the difference. His arrival is a clear signal of their intentions, not just for the upcoming campaign but for years to come, indicating they seek nothing less than total dominance both domestically and in Europe.

Statistics back Erling Haaland to succeed at Manchester City