Why Erling Haaland can't be 'blamed' for patchy Man City form

Just over halfway through the league season and Erling Haaland has 25 league goals, yet many have sought to blame him for City’s patchy form this season.

Within these goals, there have been four hat-tricks (against Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest, Manchester United and Wolves). This means Haaland has scored more hat-tricks already than Cristiano Ronaldo did over both his spells at United.

His rate of goals has slowed over previous weeks, but he still averages a goal every seventy-two minutes in a City shirt and if he is unfit for Wednesday’s top-of-the-table clash with Arsenal, he will be a huge loss.

Also read: How Man City should line up vs Arsenal in massive Premier League encounter

His goalscoring numbers are ridiculous, no matter what metrics you use. The Premier League record for most goals in a season is 34, which was reached by both Alan Shearer and Andy Cole. If Haaland stays fit, he will undoubtedly exceed this number and possibly break the 40-goal mark.

So how can someone, who is on track to break the Premier League record for most goals in a season, be viewed in a negative sense? Well, City as a side have scored two more goals this season than they had after the same amount of games last season.

Their goals have come from less varied sources than in previous seasons, but goals are goals and City have scored more than last season, although their style has changed.

Last season, City played without a number nine, meaning they played a more fluid system with their front three. Many commentators wondered what an unstoppable force City would become once they brought in a number nine, but this has not been the case.

City are still a top team, but they have had to adjust to the focal point of Haaland playing as