Erling Haaland Fires Back at Critics as Man City Star Says 20 Goals ‘Only an OK Season

Erling Haaland insists he’s judged by a totally different standard to the rest of the Premier League after becoming the fastest man ever to smash 100 Premier League goals. The Manchester City striker, who hit the landmark in a wild 5-4 win over Fulham, says even a 20-goal haul these days is seen as “just OK” for him – and he’s had a cheeky pop at Gary Lineker in the process.

The Norwegian hitman – already on 15 goals from 15 league games this term – told Lineker and Alan Shearer on The Rest Is Football podcast that expectations around him has gone through the roof. Lineker joked his target “must be 40”, but Haaland wasn’t having it. “What’s a good season for me? If I got 20 goals you’d say it’s an OK season,” he grinned. “If City win the league and I got 25, that’s a good season. Thirty is really good. Thirty-five amazing. Thirty-six… a really, really good one.”

Haaland’s numbers remain absurd. He hit 100 Premier League goals in just 111 matches, obliterating Shearer’s old mark of 124. He’s already past 20 in all comps for the 2025-26 campaign and is again in the running for the European Golden Shoe. And yet, the pressure doesn’t ease. Not at City. Not under Pep.

“If I’m not delivering, they have to replace me,” he said bluntly. “There’s a lot of pressure on me to keep scoring. That’s football at this level.” He added that Guardiola has been huge for his development, even if he remembers his father warning him never to choose a club just for the manager. “But Pep was a big reason why I came here, of course,” he admitted. “To work with him, to experience his ways… it’s special.”

He also claimed the Premier League remains the best place on earth to play. “England is a football country,” he said. “I’m calm, focused, really happy. City is a good place for development.”

Now the spotlight swings to Spain, where Haaland heads to the Bernabeu on Wednesday night with City for a heavyweight Champions League clash against Real Madrid. Los Blancos arrive wounded after a defeat to Celta Vigo and questions swirling around boss Xabi Alonso. Another punch from Haaland would turn that cloud into a storm.

City need him firing. Haaland knows the drill by now. At this club, anything less than goals – lots of them – just isn’t enough.