Erling Braut Haaland will be looking to break an all-time Premier League scoring record when Manchester City lock horns with Arsenal in a top-of-the-table clash at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday.
The Norwegian striker has taken to the Premier League by storm since joining the Citizens from Borussia Dortmund last summer, scoring a remarkable 48 goals in just 42 appearances across all competitions.
Despite drawing a blank in front of goal in last weekend's 3-0 FA Cup semi-final win over Sheffield United, Haaland has been in electric form in recent weeks, netting 15 goals in his last eight games.
The 22-year-old has already broken a plethora of records during his debut campaign with Man City and he is now on the verge of writing his name in the history books once again heading into the most anticipated top-flight fixture of the season.
Haaland increased his Premier League goal tally to 32 with a brace in the 3-1 home win over Leicester City just over a week ago, equalling Mohamed Salah's record in a 38-game season in the competition.
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City's No.9, who scored in the 3-1 top-flight away victory over Arsenal in February, will surpass Salah and break the 38-game scoring record outright if he finds the net against the Gunners on Wednesday.
Haaland also has the all-time Premier League scoring record for a single season in his sights, as he is just two goals away from equalling the record set by both Alan Shearer and Andy Cole (34) in a 42-game campaign.
The Citizens striker will break the all-time scoring record outright should he net a hat-trick on Wednesday, and in doing so would also equal a different record set by Shearer for scoring the most hat-tricks in a single Premier League season (five).
Haaland has scored 20 of his 32 Premier League goals at the Etihad Stadium so far this season, including all four of his hat-tricks, netting treble against Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest, Manchester United and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The Norwegian can become the first player since Cristiano Ronaldo and Fernando Torres in the 2007-08 campaign to score 21 home goals in a single Premier League season if he finds the net against Arsenal.
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With Man City vying for the treble, Haaland could have as many as 12 matches still to play this season to increase his astonishing goal tally across all competitions.
As things stand, Haaland is projected to end the Premier League season with 39 goals in 38 games if he maintains his current strike rate and game time, although it could increase to 41 goals if he plays every minute of City's final eight league matches.
Haaland is estimated to score 60 goals in all tournaments should he sustain his current goal and game ratios, but if he plays every minute of every game in every competition until the end of the season, including a possible Champions League final, the striker is projected to score a remarkable 66 goals.
Pep Guardiola, who has labelled Wednesday's clash 'really important but not decisive' in the title race, can see his side move to within two points of Premier League leaders Arsenal with a win at the Etihad, and the Citizens also boast two games in hand.
List of the Premier League's all-time record goalscorers in a single season:
34 goals: Andy Cole (Newcastle United – 1993-94 – 42-game season)
34 goals: Alan Shearer (Blackburn Rovers – 1994-95 – 42-game season)
*32 goals: Erling Braut Haaland (Manchester City – 2022-23 – 38-game season)
32 goals: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool – 2017-18 – 38-game season)
31 goals: Alan Shearer (Blackburn Rovers – 1993-94 – 42-game season)
31 goals: Alan Shearer (Blackburn Rovers – 1995-96 – 42-game season)
31 goals: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United – 2007-08 – 38-game season)
31 goals: Luis Suarez (Liverpool – 2013-14 – 38-game season)
Oliver Thomas
