Haaland: How does record breaking striker’s first Premier League season compare to other greats?

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland equalled the record for the most goals in a 38-game Premier League season as he netted a brace against Leicester City on Saturday. 

The Norway international’s 32nd league goal took him to a remarkable 47 across all competitions so far this season, and he looks almost certain to break the current Premier League record.

But, having taken just 28 appearances to net 32 goals, how does Haaland’s first season in the English top flight compare to some of the competition’s greats?

Here, we take a look back at some of the most prolific striker’s in Premier League history, and delve into their first full seasons in the competition.

Mohamed Salah- 2017/18

Goals: 32 (joint record holder at present)

Games: 36

Goals after 28 games: 24

Salah’s first season in the Premier League was actually a few years earlier with rivals Chelsea, but the Egyptian forward looked almost unrecognisable when he returned to the Premier League with Liverpool. Salah took the Premier League by storm, netting 12 times in his first 14 games for The Reds. By the 28-game mark he had scored 24 times, before netting eight times in his last eight games, a run that included a four-goal haul against Watford.

Harry Kane – 2014/15

Goals: 21

Games: 34

Goals after 28 games: 19

Having made just ten league appearances the previous season, few would have expected Kane to be so prolific during the 2014/15 campaign. The England international started the season slowly, too, scoring just only twice in his first 11 games. Midway through the campaign, though, the striker was in fine form, netting 17 times across a run of 15 matches to boost his tally.

Wayne Rooney – 2004/05

Goals: 11

Games: 29

Goals after 28 games: 11

During the 2003/04 campaign, a young Wayne Rooney had announced himself to the world while playing for boyhood club Everton, netting nine league goals for The Toffees. He moved to Old Trafford that summer, although his first season with The Red Devils was far from his most prolific. The striker netted just 11 times, some way short of his most fruitful Premier League campaign (27 goals in 2011/12), although he would finish his career with a remarkable tally of 208 goals in the competition.

Sergio Aguero – 2011/12

Goals: 23

Games: 34

Goals after 28 games: 17

Aguero arrived in the Premier League having scored more than 100 goals for former side Atletico Madrid, and the striker continued his fine form in England. The Argentinian netted twice on his debut against Swansea City, and after his first five appearances in the competition had scored eight goals. His form didn’t continue at quite the same rate that term, though, and he finished the season with a respectable tally of 23 goals, with 17 of them coming in his first 28 games.

Luis Suarez – 2011/12

Goals: 11

Games: 31

Goals after 28 games: 8

Having joined Liverpool from Ajax in January 2011, the Uruguayan forward’s first full season in English football was the 2011/12 campaign. The forward scored a modest 11 goals in the Premier League that season, although that did include a remarkable hat-trick to earn his side a 3-0 victory over Norwich City and Carrow Road.

Didier Drogba – 2005/06

Goals: 12

Games: 29

Goals after 28 games: 12

Drogba’s first season in England, the 2004/05 campaign, was a successful one for the striker as he helped Chelsea to lift the title. He only made 26 league appearances, though, before playing 29 times as The Blues defended their title the following season. Drogba netted 12 times during that second title-winning campaign, and went on to score more than 100 appearances in the competition.