With a brace from Erling Haaland in Manchester City’s victory over Crystal Palace in Premier League action, the Norwegian striker reached 146 goals in 168 appearances for the club. That total allowed him to surpass the 145 goals scored by Cristiano Ronaldo in 346 matches with Manchester United across all competitions, highlighting a remarkable scoring efficiency in the Premier League.
The statistic underscored the scale of Haaland’s impact since arriving in English soccer in 2022. The forward had been central to Manchester City’s recent domestic and international success, while consistently rewriting record books at an unprecedented pace. His goal scoring average already ranks among the most prolific in the history of the English game.
Ronaldo, meanwhile, left a lasting legacy in England. During his first spell with Manchester United from 2003 to 2009, the Portugal international won three Premier League titles and a UEFA Champions League crown, while also capturing the Ballon d’Or in 2008. Upon returning for the 2021–22 season, he added 18 league goals, reaffirming his elite level, though Haaland surpassed his overall club tally in roughly half the matches.
The two goals against Crystal Palace offered another clear example of Haaland’s elite instincts inside the penalty area. He opened the scoring in the 41st minute with a close range header before sealing the result late in the match from the penalty spot, continuing a trend of decisive contributions in key moments.
The Premier League’s all-time leading scorers
When considering Premier League goals only, the all-time record belongs to Alan Shearer, who finished his career with 260 goals, primarily with Newcastle United. He was followed by Harry Kane, who surpassed 213 league goals before departing for Bayern Munich. Other historic names on the list includes Wayne Rooney with 208, Mohamed Salah with 190, Andy Cole with 187, and Sergio Aguero with 184.
With 102 Premier League goals in just 113 appearances, Haaland positions himself to climb that list rapidly. If his current pace continues, he is projected as a legitimate candidate to challenge records once viewed as untouchable within the modern era of the league.
Beyond league history, Haaland is also closing in on Aguero’s long-standing goal scoring mark at Manchester City. At such an early stage of his career, discussions about his place among the club’s all-time greats already felt unavoidable, a testament to how quickly the Norwegian had reshaped expectations at the highest level of English soccer.