Phil Foden makes Erling Haaland prediction following record-breaking Manchester City season

Manchester City’s Phil Foden believes Erling Haaland’s records set during the 2022/23 season will not be broken, unless Haaland himself achieves even greater heights.

The Norway international striker completed his first season with the reigning Premier League champions with a staggering tally of 52 goals and nine assists across his 53 Manchester City appearances in all competitions.

The former RB Salzburg and Borussia Dortmund frontman’s goal-scoring tally played a significant role in Pep Guardiola’s side claiming a historic treble in the space of a history-making three-week period for the club.

Haaland’s Manchester City attacking teammates have been left in awe by his contributions, and Phil Foden has this week discussed the possibility of such feats ever being matched or exceeded in future.

Speaking as part of an exclusive interview with BBC Sport this week, Foden admitted that he does not believe Erling Haaland’s goalscoring achievements of the 2022/23 season will ever be replicated, unless the Norwegian himself accomplishes similar or even greater levels.

“I love the way he is,” the Manchester City academy graduate said of his teammate. “I love how he always wants more from himself, he’s not just happy with the way he is, and he’s still so young it’s crazy to say it.”

He continued, “And what he did last year, I don’t think we’ll ever see it again to be honest unless he breaks his own record. He’s so demanding of himself, and if we can find him in those areas, we know he’s always going to be in the right position.

“He’s got this instinct for goal, it’s just a pleasure to play with someone who’s this good.”

The 23-year-old versatile playmaker was also keen to stress Manchester City’s confidence heading into matches this season, fresh off the back of their treble-winning campaign that also featured a third successive Premier League title success.

Foden explained, “Without being too arrogant, I think that’s how we have to go into games, knowing that we’re champions. It’s more of a confidence thing, you want to go into a game believing that you’re going to win.

“The players that we’ve got too – like Erling [Haaland], you can go into the game thinking he’s going to score every game. It’s just a nice feeling for us attackers to have a player like that who takes the pressure off you a little bit.”

Erling Haaland has started the new campaign in similar fashion to how he performed across the last, scoring six goals in his opening six appearances for the club, claiming a UEFA Super Cup trophy in the process.

The 23-year-old was on target once more for Norway in European Championship qualifying action this week, and returns to Manchester with a Premier League contest against West Ham United next on the agenda in the capital.

City take on David Moyes’ side at the London Stadium with the maintaining of their 100 per cent winning start to the season very much at the forefront of their targets. However, the Hammers will prove to be a stern test as they sit fourth in the league table at present.