Erling Haaland’s Manchester City teammates all crowded round to give him a “deserved” guard of honour after yesterday’s Premier League victory.
The Sky Blues once again cemented their place at the top of the Premier League table after an emphatic win over relegation battlers West Ham at the Etihad Stadium last night, slotting three goals into the net in a 3-0 victory, and making it a total of 1,000 Premier League goals scored under current manager Pep Guardiola.
But, as has been the case in a lot of Manchester City matches this season, it’s Norwegian superstar Erling Haaland who grabbed the headlines yet again, and even earned himself a guard of honour from his teammates and staff after the game.
And what exactly did he do to “deserve” this star treatment? Break another record, of course.
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 3, 2023
We all know by know that the 22-year-old striker is no stranger to goals, and setting countless new records with the amount of goals he scored – but many fans and pundits are arguing that last night’s achievement is probably Haaland’s most important to date, and one of the most significant in Premier League and football history.
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As he smashed in Man City’s second goal of the night in the 70th minute, that made it Haaland’s 35th Premier League goal – which means he officially broke and set a new record for the most goals scored by one player in a single Premier League season.
He claimed the title from former Premier League all-time greats, Alan Shearer and Andy Cole – who each scored 34 goals back in the mid 90s.
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Erling Haaland given ‘deserved’ guard of honour after breaking Premier League goals record / Credit: Man City (via Twitter)
Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, and reflecting on his new record, Haaland said he was “really happy and proud” of his individual achievements.
“It’s a special night and a special moment,” he added.
While he said that scoring the record-breaking goal “was a nice feeling”, just like all his other goals, he did admit that the guard of honour wasn’t the most pleasant experience, explaining: “Winning the game is also really important.
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“But the guard of honour really hurt – they hit me hard on the back.”
“All the team is satisfied for that because he is a unique person, so special, and he deserved the guard of honour because it’s an incredible milestone.
Erling Haaland has named his four favourite films… and fans have a lot to say on it
Emily Sergeant
Erling Haaland has answered the all-important question.
The question heard around the world, the question on everyone’s lips, a question that has absolutely nothing to do with football whatsoever… that’s right, he’s answered Letterboxd’s famous question of ‘what are your four favourite films?’.
If you’re unaware of what Letterboxd is, it describes itself as being an ‘online diary platform and app for film lovers’ and it gives users the chance to display their four favourite films at the top of their profile for all to see (and judge).
An extension of this has then been Letterboxd asking celebrities in press junket interviews and on red carpets what their ‘four faves’ are – and it’s gone on to become something of a phenomenon in the film world.
Everyone from massive A-list movie stars, to indie darlings and up-and-coming names have answered this question before, and now (it appears) to be Erling Haaland’s turn.
He’s not the first footballer to be tasked with question though, as the entire Spurs team was ambushed with it by former player – and famously massive cinephile – Alfie Whiteman last year, but it’s fair to say that after the summer he’s had with Norway at the World Cup, achieving international fame in the process, that Haaland is one of the most high-profile to answer it in a long while.
So, what’s on Erling’s list then?
Well, to self-confessed ‘film bros’ out there, you’re not going to find any deep cuts in this selection unfortunately, and you’re probably not going to get any recommendations for movies you haven’t seen before either, but come on, he is only a footballer after all.
Erling Haaland has named his four favourite films… and fans have a lot to say on it / Credit: Letterboxd
First up for the Manchester City striker is a pretty common pick by straight white men, it’s The Wolf of Wall Street, and he doesn’t give much of a reason for it, other than just suggesting: “I think you understand why”.
He then follows that up with Ridley Scott’s classic Gladiator, calling it ‘amazing’, before naming 2004’s epic Troy, and then rounding it out with a Christmas favourite for many, Home Alone, adding that he ‘watched it a lot as a kid, and then again now’.
As for fan reaction to Haaland’s four favourites, let’s just say it’s been mixed.
Among the 1,000+ comments on the Instagram video, you’ll find just as many people called him ‘king’ and saying he has ‘goated’ taste, as you will comments like this: “He has the most male gazed top four in history of Letterboxd.”
Manchester City reveal world-first third kit… designed by AI
Daisy Jackson
Manchester City have just revealed the club’s third kit for the season, and it’s a world-first AI-designed kit.
The new Man City and Puma kit was revealed in full this morning after days of teasing on billboards across Manchester.
For the first time in professional football history, the kit is designed by a fan, using AI.
180,000 fans submitted designs through the Puma AI Creator, with the winning design now projected on some of the city’s biggest digital billboards – on Market Street, and at Printworks.
Created by lifelong Cityzen and stills photographer Elliott, the final design is inspired by Manchester City’s iconic 13/14 season away shirt.
Elliott’s creative interpretation was crowned in January 2025 after a global fan vote.
The digital billboards show each different stage of the AI design process, from prompt to finished design, with the tagline ‘designed by one of us, chosen by all of us’.
The AI Man City kit reveal
Eagle-eyed Man City fans may have noticed a cryptic ‘loading’ screen in town on Tuesday, with just a hint of the shirt visible.
Then on Wednesday, the screens displayed: “AI prompt accepted. Fan vote confirmed. Final Manchester City 26/27 Third Kit design processing.”
Then the full reveal has taken place today, Thursday 27 August, finally unveiling the full shirt with the words: “Designed by one of us. Chosen by all of us”.
Reacting to live images of the billboards, Elliott said: “Seeing my complete design revealed on billboards in the city centre this morning was unbelievable.
“City has been part of our family’s life for as long as I can remember, so this is as good as it gets for me.
“Creativity is naturally part of my everyday life as a photographer, but it was good to turn my hand to something else and see what could be created with the use of AI.
“The 13/14 away shirt was always my favourite, so it felt like the natural starting point for my prompt. From there, it was amazing to see the technology take that spark of an idea and turn it into something I could actually shape and refine.
“To know that a shirt I designed on my lunch break will now be worn by the players is something I still can’t quite get my head around!”
The 26/27 Manchester City Third Kit will be available at mancity.com/shop and Manchester City Official Stores, with 10% off for Members and Seasoncard holders (automatically applied when logged in with a Member account online).
Emily Sergeant -
4th May 2023 
