The £51 million Norwegian superstar was on target thrice to help Manchester City go two points clear at the top of the Premier League table, with Arsenal and Brighton drawing earlier in the day.

It was another ruthless display from Haaland, who has come into the new signing totally refreshed, having not gone to the Euros like a lot of his teammates. Norway did not qualify, and City are benefitting greatly.

Haaland is already up to seven goals for the season in just three games, and the 24-year-old is already threatening to break records again this term.

With Julian Alvarez having been sold by City, it is important for Haaland to try and stay fit this season.

If he is able to do so, then City stand to have another hugely successful season – and for Paul Merson, Haaland himself is already well on course to achieve another amazing feat.

Paul Merson thinks Erling Haaland already has the Golden Boot in the bag

Haaland’s time at City so far could not have gone much better.

The star has hit 97 goals now for the club across all competitions. Everyone expected him to shine for City, a team that creates so many chances. But few really saw this rate of scoring coming even for Haaland.

Haaland is already well on course to win the 2024/25 Golden Boot, and pundit Paul Merson reckons he’s got it in the bag after such a ferocious start.

He wrote on X: “Haaland absolute goal machine!! That’s the Golden Boot all done. Some player!”

Haaland has won the Golden Boot in each of his first two seasons. In his first term, he scored a record-breaking 35 goals and he then followed that up with 27 last season.

Only one other player in Premier League history has won three consecutive Golden Boots, and that is Alan Shearer, who won in 1994/95, 1995/96 and 1996/97.

Thierry Henry holds the record for most Golden Boots with four, and Haaland will certainly fancy his chances of at least equalling that while he is a Premier League player. He has now scored as many hat-tricks in the competition as the legendary Frenchman.

So Haaland is bidding to become only the second player ever to win a third consecutive Golden Boot, and few will look past him to achieve this feat.

Surely, the only way he won’t be successful is if he does not stay fit.

But since Haaland came to City, his injury record has been very good, which has been a big relief to supporters.

He’s already clocked up 102 games for the club and has not spent much time at all in the treatment room. If this continues, he will carry on scoring goals and breaking records.