Erling Haaland\u2019s audacious yet sublime strike against West Ham United saw him eclipse Newcastle legend Alan Shearer\u2019s record for the most goals scored in a single Premier League crown with the Newcastle icon responding good-naturedly to Gary Lineker\u2019s tease in the aftermath of his Premier League\u00a0goalscoring record having been broken.<\/p>\n
Shearer unhesitatingly claimed Haaland\u00a0was \u201cthe best\u201d in response to Lineker\u2019s gentle dig in the ribs.<\/p>\n
The Nordic Viking scored City\u2019s\u00a0second goal in their 3-0 victory over West Ham on Wednesday to the thunderous applause of the hordes in the Etihad stadium\u00a0as he officially became the highest-ever goalscorer in a single Premier League campaign.\u00a0This has now seen him move ahead of both Shearer and Andrew Cole.<\/p>\n
The goal was certainly one for the books and befitting of the new record as the Norwegian wunderkind latched onto a superb ball from Jack Grealish which he easily converted with a delightfully-sumptuous chip. And it certainly looks like there\u2019s no stopping Haaland as he is easily on form to add considerably more goals to his count before the end of the campaign.<\/p>\n
Match of the Day host Gary Lineker immediately took to Twitter with a tease aimed at his colleague Shearer. He wrote: \u201cA Premier League record for @ErlingHaaland. 35 goals. That\u2019s nuts. Thoughts are with @alanshearer at this difficult time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shearer then responded to that cheeky jibe with his own take on Haaland\u2019s goalscoring feat. The ex-striker wrote: \u201cCouldn\u2019t have wanted it to go to a nicer guy. It\u2019s only taken 28 years!!!! He\u2019s the best,\u201d alongside a host of applause emojis.<\/p>\n
Shearer gladly offering his congratulations to the Man City sensation for his achievement is certainly no surprise as the Newcastle legend had predicted back in March that the Norwegian lad would be claiming the record before the end of the campaign.<\/p>\n
Speaking to Amazon Prime Video Sport, he said: “He\u2019ll do it. I was going to actually congratulate him tonight because it\u2019s only a matter of time before he gets it.<\/p>\n
“I\u2019d be the first to shake his hand, it\u2019s going to go. I really enjoy his attitude, I love his desire and I love what he was saying about not sleeping at night when he doesn\u2019t score goals because that\u2019s what a goalscorer is.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love everything about him and as I\u2019ve said beforehand, if you\u2019re building the perfect centre forward he is it and I think he\u2019s almost perfect, and he\u2019s playing in a great team.\u201d<\/p>\n
Haaland will doubtless be looking to extend his record over the closing weeks of the campaign in a renewed endeavor to boost the Cityzens\u2019 pursuit of not only another Premier League crown but also the holy grail of the treble. As for the league race, the reigning champions face Leeds, Everton, Chelsea and Brighton\u00a0before the end of the campaign.<\/p>\n
Guardiola and his boys in blue will also be taking on rivals Man United in the FA Cup\u00a0final, besides having a square-up against Real Madrid in the Champions League\u00a0semi-finals.<\/p>\n
For sure Erling Haaland will be mischievously salivating quietly now as he studies the opportunities awaiting him.<\/p>\n
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