Premier League records beware: Erling Haaland has landed

You could say that Erling Haaland has hit the ground running. He has broken a few records already while dispelling any doubts about how quickly he would acclimatise to the rigours of the Premier League.

Haaland started slowly. He failed to make any impression in the Community Shield against Liverpool in July and was overshadowed by another debutant, Darwin Núñez, who came off the bench for Liverpool with 30 minutes remaining, won a penalty and scored a goal, prompting the feeling that he might adapt more quickly to his new environment.

After the Community Shield it looked like Haaland might need some time to fit into City’s style of play and English football. He was criticised for his lack of involvement in the first half of that game, in which he mustered just eight touches – the fewest of any outfield player – and was mocked for hitting the bar from six yards out in the last minute of the match. Pep Guardiola even felt the need to defend his recent purchase: “It is good for him to see the reality in a new country and a new league, but he was there,” said the City manager. “He didn’t score. He has incredible quality and he will do it.”

Nine weeks on and that prediction has proved to be spot on: Haaland has indeed done it. He swept away any fears of a slow start in the league by scoring twice against West Ham in City’s first match of the season then scored a further seven times in his next four games, breaking the record – previously shared by Sergio Agüero and Micky Quinn – for the most goals scored in a player’s first five games in the competition. The league’s all-time top scorer, Alan Shearer, needed nine matches to score his first seven; Harry Kane required 18.

Three goals against Manchester United on Sunday means