Alan Shearer is confident Erling Haaland will break his Premier League record for most goals in a single season following a 'bonkers' start to life at Manchester City. The former Borussia Dortmund star netted his 26th top-flight strike of the season as Pep Guardiola's side recorded a decisive 3-1 away victory at Arsenal on Wednesday night.
Shearer is the Premier League's all-time leading goalscorer with 260 strikes during his time with Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United. However, this record looks to be under threat from Harry Kane, with the Tottenham star now becoming only the third player to break the 200-goal mark.
Shearer also shares the honour of scoring the most goals in a single Premier League campaign with former Newcastle striker Andy Cole. The pair both netted 34 times in the 1993/94 and 1994/95 seasons, with Newcastle's all-time leading goalscorer matching the feat during his time at Ewood Park.
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Haaland netted City's third in the victory over title rivals Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, taking a touch to control Kevin De Bruyne's pass before confidently dispatching beyond Aaron Ramsdale. Shearer was on punditry duties in north London, and the former striker has already accepted the summer signing will break his single-season record.
He told Amazon Prime Video Sport: "He’ll do it. I was going to actually congratulate him tonight because it’s only a matter of time before he gets it.
"I’d be the first to shake his hand, it’s gonna go. I really enjoy his attitude, I love his desire and I love what he was saying about not sleeping at night when he doesn’t score goals because that’s what a goalscorer is.
"I love everything about him and as I’ve said beforehand, if you’re building the perfect centre forward, he is it. I think he’s almost perfect, and he’s playing in a great team."
It was Haaland's first Premier League goal for three matches, with the Norway international enduring a mini-drought by his own lofty standards. Shearer interviewed the 22-year-old ahead of kick-off, and was left hugely impressed by the City striker's mentality.
Shearer added: "26 in 22, by the way, that is bonkers. After speaking to him a couple of weeks ago he says he should have more, through his poor finishing and when other players might have crossed, but that’s his mentality, that’s his attitude.
"You can see the relief, albeit it was only three games, but you can see the relief and what it means to him to score goals. That’s what he lives for, that’s his job, and it’ll be a happy camp tonight."
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