Erling Haaland scored in a seventh consecutive Premier League match during Manchester City's 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa, matching his longest scoring streak in the competition. His header at Villa Park was also the second time in three games that he has converted a cross from Iliman Ndiaye.
Heading Goals Reach New Heights
Haaland's headed goals have become a far larger part of his game this season. He has four headed goals in the league and six in total out of his 13 goals, accounting for 46 per cent of his tally. That compares with 16 per cent last season, when he scored six headed goals in all competitions, with only three in the Premier League.
In his first season at the Etihad, he scored seven headers in the 2022/23 Premier League and added another in the Champions League, accounting for 15 per cent of his total goals. He managed just four in the following two years, an area of his game that felt surprisingly lacking.
Improvement at Both Ends
There was a concerted effort last season from the City No.9 to improve his heading at both ends of the pitch, and as well as winning more duels he made headers a bigger chunk of his goals than ever before. Pep Guardiola rarely tried to tell Haaland how to finish but even he felt the need to question his heading as the two walked down the touchline at Old Trafford one year.
Haaland is consciously working on it - dad Alfie was helping him in the garden days before a Champions League goal against Porto - but also because of the way the team has shifted around him.
Team Tactics Fuel Haaland
The team is getting the ball out to the wingers, and their job is to beat their man and get a ball into the box looking for Haaland. City were not among the top ten teams in the last two seasons for successful crosses from open play, managing fewer than 100 in each campaign; so far this season, only Brentford (34) have attempted more than their 30, with City on course for 143 if they maintain their current rate.
Ndiaye has taken on the responsibility for those crosses and has certainly relished it. "It's easy to play with him, you know he's going to score goals for us," said Ndiaye. "You just have to get the ball to his head or his feet, and you know he's going to get the goals."
Haaland can make it eight against Brighton on Saturday, closing in on another eight that stands as his best effort during his time at the Etihad. His scoring streak and improved heading have captured attention beyond the UK, and both should help him push even harder for the Ballon d'Or next year.
