'A bit unreal to be honest': Erling Haaland's incredible numbers as he sets goals record

Erling Haaland's record-breaking season continued Wednesday when the Manchester City striker netted his 35th Premier League goal of the season to surpass Alan Shearer and Andy Cole's mark.

The Norwegian striker showed swiftness of foot and subtlety in front of goal by racing clear to score City's second in a 3-0 win over West Ham United at the Etihad Arena that put the English champions back on top of the table.

"A bit unreal to be honest," said Haaland on the scale of the achievement.

"I wasn't thinking of this kind of record when I came here and to break it means I've done something special and I'm really proud of this moment."

Haaland's strike rate puts even his much-vaunted predecessors, who played in the era of 42-game seasons, in the shade.

By contrast, Haaland, who joined City last summer from Borussia Dortmund for €60 million, has reached 35 goals at a rate of one every 72 minutes in just 31 appearances.

Former Blackburn, Newcastle and England striker Shearer lauded Haaland's achievement and his attributes.

"If you were building a centre-forward from the ground up, Erling is what you would be left with," Shearer told The Athletic.

"He's a goal machine, someone who is quick and direct, who is physically strong and good in the air, who can score with both feet and whose positioning is fantastic."

City manager Pep Guardiola could afford himself a wry smile when he thinks back to the beginning of the season when, after Haaland failed to score in the Community Shield defeat to Liverpool all the talk was that the Norwegian would struggle to adapt to the Premier League.

City won back-to-back league titles playing largely without an attacking focal point but any suggestion they could be thrown off course by Haaland's