Haaland breaks century mark as City tighten their grip on the title race

December 3, 2025 Oliver Obel

Erling Haaland has made a habit of bending Premier League records to his will, but his latest milestone landed with a little extra weight. On a cool December night at Craven Cottage, the Manchester City striker became the fastest player ever to reach 100 Premier League goals a mark he hit before halftime and with surprisingly little fuss.

The achievement came, according to Reuters, in Haaland’s 111th league appearance. Alan Shearer had held the benchmark since 1995, reaching the century in 124 games, while Harry Kane needed 141. Haaland’s pace, in context, is bordering on something the league hasn’t seen before.

The goal that set another record

City had threatened from the opening minutes, and Haaland nearly struck earlier when he drove a low effort off the base of the upright. The breakthrough, though, arrived with a move that seemed almost routine for Guardiola’s side. As Reuters reported, Jeremy Doku slid a firm pass into the box, and Haaland finding a pocket of space hammered a first-time shot past Bernd Leno.

Former Premier League forward Clinton Morrison told BBC Radio 5 Live that the finish captured what makes Haaland so relentless. “He knows he's going to get another opportunity,” Morrison said. “He's so clinical and he scores all different types of goals. We aren't going to see a striker like this for a very long time.”

You could sense a sort of resignation ripple through the Fulham supporters; they had seen this story before.

City stretch the gap

Fulham tried stepping higher up the pitch to restrict City’s buildup, but that adjustment only opened new lanes. Haaland soon dropped deep, shrugged off two defenders, and slipped a clever ball to Tijjani Reijnders, who lifted his finish over Leno to double the lead.

Moments before halftime, City added a third. Leno punched a cross only as far as Phil Foden, who steadied himself and bent a curling shot inside the far post. It wasn’t spectacular, but it was the kind of composed strike he has been producing all season.

A brief Fulham spark quickly extinguished

Emile Smith Rowe pulled one back for Fulham just before the interval, giving the home crowd something to cling to. For a minute or two, the energy shifted. But City eased the tension early in the second half when Foden struck again, restoring the cushion and effectively ending the contest.

From that point on, City managed the match with the calmness of a team fully aware of its ambitions slowing the tempo, holding the ball, and letting Fulham tire themselves out.

What the milestone means

For City, the win keeps them firmly in the title conversation as winter fixtures begin to pile up. For Haaland, it’s another reminder of how dramatically he has reshaped the league’s scoring landscape in just over two years.

Reaching 100 goals this quickly isn’t merely historic it suggests the records he may break next are already in sight.

Sources: Reuters, BBC.