Erling Haaland solidified his position as one of the Premier League’s top scorers by surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo’s all-time tally with a brace in Manchester City’s 3-0 victory over West Ham United on December 20, 2025. With this performance, Haaland has now scored 19 goals in just 17 matches this season, maintaining an impressive average of over one goal per game.
The match, held at the Etihad Stadium, saw Haaland find the net in both halves. He opened the scoring in the fifth minute with a well-placed shot following a cross from Phil Foden. Later, he assisted Tijjani Reijnders, who scored City’s second goal in the 38th minute, before sealing the win with his second goal in the 69th minute, capitalizing on a defensive error from West Ham.
Manchester City now holds the top spot in the Premier League, leading Arsenal by one point before Arsenal’s match against Everton later that day. The victory bolstered City’s title aspirations as they aim to defend their championship.
Haaland’s achievement is notable as it gives him 104 goals in the Premier League, eclipsing Ronaldo’s record of 103 goals achieved during his two spells at Manchester United. Remarkably, Haaland has accomplished this feat in just 122 games, significantly fewer than Ronaldo’s appearances.
In other matches on the same day, Liverpool faced Tottenham Hotspur, winning 2-1 despite losing their record signing, Alexander Isak, to an ankle injury. Isak, who scored the opening goal, suffered the injury from a challenge by Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven. Liverpool’s Hugo Ekitike later doubled the lead, with Richarlison scoring a consolation goal for Spurs.
Meanwhile, Chelsea and Newcastle United played to a 2-2 draw, with Newcastle’s Nick Woltemade scoring twice in the first 20 minutes. Chelsea’s Joao Pedro equalized in the 66th minute, showcasing his potential despite a challenging start to the season.
At the other end of the table, Wolverhampton Wanderers remain winless after suffering a 2-0 defeat to Brentford, matching the record for the most games without a win at the start of a Premier League season with just two points from 17 matches.
As the season progresses, all eyes will be on Haaland as he continues to break records and lead Manchester City in their quest for another Premier League title. His remarkable goal-scoring ability puts him on track for what could be the most prolific season of his career, with aspirations to represent Norway in the upcoming World Cup.
