Erling Haaland has broke another Premier League record, albeit an unwanted one, after achieving the highest xG in a match without scoring.
The Norwegian striker broke the Premier League goal scoring record last season, after finding the target 36 times in Manchester City’s treble winning campaign.
Despite missing two months through injury, Haaland is still the league’s top scorer this season with 16 goals and is on track to win another golden boot.
However, the City star lacked his usual ruthlessness in his sides 1-1 draw with Chelsea in GW25 of the Premier League – breaking the record for the highest xG achieved in a match without scoring.
Haaland accumulated an xG of 1.71, overtaking the previous record of 1.61 from Darwin Nunez which the Uruguayan managed in Liverpool’s 4-2 win over Newcastle on New Year’s Day.
The former Borussia Dortmund player had nine shots, three big chances and failed to find the target against Mauricio Pochettino’s side.
Pep Guardiola was full of praise for his leading talisman and did not seem worried about Haaland’s issue in front of goal against Chelsea.
The Spaniard said: “It’s good to have nine shots and next time he’s going to score. I was a football player for 11 years and scored 11 goals. What stats! One goal a season. I’m not a proper man to give advice to strikers.”
“We create the chances, he had the chances and next time he’s going to score. I don’t blame him. It’s football, it’s human beings.
In the 2023-24 season, Haaland has missed 21 big chances so far and has averaged an xG of 17.93, which is just over his 16 goals.
Manchester City sit third in the Premier League (game in hand on teams above) and are four points of table-topping Liverpool.
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