Although it was a Manchester derby, Erling Haaland saw it as just another game and another record broken.
His three goals in Manchester United’s 6-3 thrashing at Etihad Stadium made him the Premier League’s first player to score three consecutive hat-tricks at home.
The 22-year-old is so used to scoring – and scoring hat-tricks – that in their post-match interview, he casually put his arm around teammate Phil Foden and joked that they could have a match ball each after the Stockport-born forward also netted three against United.
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Former Manchester United and Manchester City goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel told BBC Radio 5 Live that he could “see different players in Haaland” and that he is like “top strikers all in one.”
“The biggest part of a good striker is patience. I played against some of the best strikers and when they go missing is when you really have to concentrate,” added Schmeichel.
“The Cristiano Ronaldos, the Filippo Inzaghis of this world – they disappear then all of a sudden they get the chance.
“When you look at Haaland, you see different players. That Zlatan-like goal, and Ronaldo is in there too. You see top, top strikers in one.
“That is why he is so dangerous. He has the luxury of seeing many top strikers and they are all put into one player.”
Haaland now has 14 goals in eight Premier League games, which is double the total of Harry Kane, who is second on the list of top scorers.
‘The numbers are scary’
“Yeah, not bad” was how Haaland responded when Sky Sports asked him about his performance in the derby.
“We scored six goals. What can I say? To win at home, score six goals, it’s nice. In the end, it’s amazing. There is nothing more to say,” he added.
It has often been “nice” for Erling Haaland since joining City, and manager Pep Guardiola says his scoring statistics are “scary”.
“The numbers speak for himself. He has done this before here. It is not just our way. Always we try to help him in our environment,” said Guardiola.
“We have this incredible sense that he always looks starving and is so competitive. The numbers are scary.”
Haaland’s latest hat-trick brought his season total to 17 goals and three assists in 11 games.
He has already scored three more goals in his first eight Premier League games than Mick Quinn, Papiss Cisse, and Diego Costa had in their previous ten games.
His nine goals in his first five games made him the Premier League’s top scorer in August of any season.
The Norway forward was also the first player to score in his first four away games in the Premier League and he is the youngest player to score 25 goals in the Champions League.
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“I’ve never scored three hat-tricks in three home games before. It’s amazing,” Erling Haaland told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“Confidence is good, it’s always been good. After the Community Shield [defeat by] Liverpool, it was still good. It was good that this match happened and I knew I just have to be ready.
“I felt a couple of days before the Manchester derby that something special was going to happen and some special things happened so it’s nice. It’s these games I want to play in.”
