Erling Haaland

He's just scored two hat-tricks in four days, so The Athletic uses Norwegian idioms to try and understand the majesty of Erling Haaland.

This time Foden headed it to the back post, [John Stones](https://theathletic.com/football/player/john-stones-Qco6BKmHmB44RMjL/) headed it back across goal, and Haaland was there to complete his treble. After the Community Shield, when he missed a sitter and didn’t quite mesh with his equally rusty team-mates, there was something of a “complaining choir” — a lot of people parroting not always valid opinions. After all, “taste is like the butt”… Certainly, if he and City carry on like this. And suddenly it was “totally Texas” — chaos. He had never scored more than one hat-trick in a season while racking up the goals for [Borussia Dortmund](https://theathletic.com/football/team/dortmund/) and now has two inside four days. He is a very un-City player in the way that we have come to understand what City are about. Haaland was popping up everywhere, not so much with contributions to the game overall, but where it really matters, inside the box. No player in Premier League history has scored more goals in their first five games. They swear you won’t get punched in the face as a result. With another hat-trick, wrapped up before half-time, it was “only baby food” for him. when you celebrate your first goal, it’s like, ‘Ahh, I have to do this again’.

Haaland is answering any and all questions about his ability to integrate into the Premier League one goal—and hat trick—at a time.

He scored with his first touch on Wednesday, finishing from in close after Phil Foden provided the assist. After a 28-minute hat trick in the second half rescued three points for Man City vs. Or, in the case of the last two matches, one hat trick at a time.

After successive hat-tricks against Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest, 22-year-old summer signing Haaland already has nine goals in five Premier League ...

They'll be getting them to come and help them, they'll be asking the left back to come inside and help them. 'He's the sort of striker where defenders - you know, Drogba was like it - where defenders six days before were in the changing room like "Oh, we're playing Drogba on Saturday". [Crystal Palace](/sport/teampages/crystal-palace.html) and Nottingham Forest, 22-year-old Haaland already has nine goals in five Premier League games - and former [Aston Villa](/sport/teampages/aston-villa.html) striker Agbonlahor has claimed defenders are already terrified of him.

“So what Erling Haaland scored 62 goals in 67 Bundesliga games? Wait until he's in the Premier League!” is what the doubters said.

A perfect hat trick for the perfect signing. Haaland now has as many Premier League hat tricks in his last two games as Sadio Mané, Eden Hazard and Son Heung-min. Wait until he’s in the Premier League!” is what the doubters said.