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Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has had another productive week in front of goal but it could have been even better
Football is currently blessed with three world-class forwards performing at the peak of their powers.
"Don't forget Kylian" was Erling Haaland's message when he was asked about Harry Kane's start to the season with Bayern Munich. Mbappe is prolific for Real Madrid but Haaland is pipping both for Manchester City and his record including internationals is mind-blowing.
Three goals against Israel on Saturday took him to 19 in his last ten games and it is 21 in total - a number made more impressive given none of those goals came from the penalty spot. Except he could have added to his tally with a penalty.
Norway were awarded one against Israel before Haaland had scored and he stepped up but saw his effort saved. The referee ordered it to be retaken for infringement and he stepped up again but again saw his effort saved.
That didn't ultimately matter because he went on and scored a hat-trick, but as improved as Haaland looks in so many aspects of his game penalties remain a doubt. One of the last opportunities the 25-year-old had to take a penalty was in the FA Cup final at Wembley, but he instead gave it to Omar Marmoush and the Egyptian missed in a City defeat.
Haaland took one a week later at Fulham and scored, and has since admitted that he should have taken responsibility at Wembley.
“I shouldn’t have given it to a new player. So all the responsibility is on me,” Haaland admitted.
“I put him in this situation. I had a good feeling on him. But I should have taken it myself.”
City will want Haaland confident enough to be taking penalties, but they will also want him precise enough to be scoring from them. Two misses in a minute from Norway leaves a doubt for the Blues at a time when Haaland looks invincible in just about every other facet of his game.
Guardiola's side won 10 penalties in each of Haaland's first two seasons in the Premier League and converted 18 out of the 20. Last year they were only awarded four, and he netted three of those.
City will expect to win more spot kicks because of the time they spend in the opposition box and the crosses that they put into it, and when they do the question becomes who takes it and will they score.
That is one of the few questions that Haaland doesn't seem able to answer right now as he rests up before the Everton game.
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