At your service: Haaland's the talk of City

Manchester, May 4

A new Premier League goals record for Erling Haaland and three more points for title-chasing Manchester City.

The Norway striker has scored 35 times in his first season playing in English football’s top division — surpassing the previous single-season record that was jointly held by Alan Shearer and Andy Cole.

Haaland still has five more games to add to his remarkable total and left the field to a guard of honour from his teammates after the final whistle.

“He’s a unique person and he’s so special,” City manager Pep Guardiola said. “He deserved the guard of honour because it’s an incredible milestone. Another day he might break his own record. He’s scored a lot of goals”

While the Golden Boot for the country’s leading scorer is certain to come Haaland’s way, bigger prizes are also in sight, with City edging closer to a third straight title after a 3-0 win against West Ham.

Haaland’s goal in the 70th-minute put City 2-0 up after Nathan Ake had opened the scoring in the 50th.

Substitute Phil Foden added a third with a deflected effort in the 85th.

The win moved City back to the top of the standings, a point above Arsenal, who had gone to the summit after a 3-1 win against Chelsea on Tuesday. Guardiola’s defending champions also have a game in hand on their title rivals.

“It’s a special night and a special moment. I’m really happy and proud. I don’t know what else to say,” Haaland said. “I knew about the record, of course, but we tried to create chances to score and it wasn’t easy because they wanted to defend. We struggled in the first half but they eventually came.”

Atletico overtake Real

Madrid: Atletico Madrid continued their winning form by routing Cadiz 5-1 and overtaking Real Madrid for second place in the La Liga.

Antoine Griezmann scored twice in the first half and Alvaro Morata, Yannick Carrasco and Nahuel Molina each added a goal in the second to give Atletico their 12th win in 14 league matches. Diego Simeone’s team moved a point in front of Madrid with five rounds remaining.

35Haaland has scored 35 times in his first season playing in the EPL — surpassing the previous single-season record that was jointly held by Alan Shearer and Andy Cole— AP