Erling Haaland’s incredible goal-scoring form showed no sign of slowing down as he netted again to hand Manchester City a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Brentford. The Norwegian striker struck with a clinical finish in the ninth minute, extending his extraordinary run and lifting City into fifth place in the Premier League standings.
Haaland has now scored in nine consecutive matches for club and country, the longest scoring streak of his career. With 12 goals in nine appearances for City this season and an additional six for Norway, he continues to set remarkable standards. Tottenham remain the only team to have prevented him from finding the net in the current campaign.
The 25-year-old credited his mental and physical sharpness to becoming a father. Since welcoming his first child in December, Haaland says he has learned to unwind and detach from football, which has improved his focus on the pitch. “I have never felt better than I do now,” he explained. “You can be physically ready, but you need to be mentally ready too. Having a kid helps me disconnect from football when I’m home. I relax more than ever.”
His goal against Brentford was vintage Haaland — a precise run behind the defence and a powerful finish past the goalkeeper after latching onto Josko Gvardiol’s long ball. He described it as one of his best goals for Manchester City, given the difficulty of the match and the physical challenge posed by Brentford’s defenders. “It reminded me of Stoke City with Rory Delap 15 years ago,” Haaland said. “They’re huge, tough to play against, and their throw-ins come from the middle. It’s about being ready and analysing well.”
With 94 goals in just 104 Premier League appearances since joining from Borussia Dortmund in 2022, Haaland’s numbers remain astonishing. His dominance continues to attract interest across Europe, with reports suggesting Barcelona president Joan Laporta is eager to make him the club’s top transfer target.
However, Haaland remains focused on Manchester City’s title chase. “A low block with five people around us is never easy,” he said. “That’s why it feels even better to win.”
City now sit three points behind leaders Arsenal as they look to build momentum heading into a demanding stretch of the season.
