Manchester City rose to the top of the Premier League when Erling Haaland equaled the competition’s single-season goal record and Julian Alvarez scored a game-winning goal against Fulham on Sunday.
At Craven Cottage, Haaland converted a third-minute penalty to equal Alan Shearer and Andy Cole’s single-season Premier League record total.
Shearer scored 34 goals for Blackburn in 1995, and Cole scored 34 goals for Newcastle in 1994.
Haaland has 34 Premier League goals in his 30 Premier League appearances, more than 21 top-flight teams have achieved in their first 30 games this season.
It was also the Norwegian striker’s 50th goal for City since joining from Borussia Dortmund last year.
Fulham’s Carlos Vinicius equalized, but City moved one point clear of second-placed Arsenal thanks to Julian Alvarez’s spectacular long-range shot.
City have won their previous eight league games and are unbeaten in their last 18 matches in all competitions, putting them on top for the first time in ten weeks.
Pep Guardiola’s red-hot team, which has a game in hand on Arsenal, needs to win five of their next six games to secure their fifth title in six seasons.
With Haaland’s goal streak showing no signs of abating, few would bet against them capitalizing on Arsenal’s demise.
Arsenal, who have gone winless in their previous four games, face Chelsea on Tuesday, while City play West Ham at home on Wednesday.
Guardiola dismissed notions that the title fight was lost in the immediate wake of Wednesday’s vital 4-1 thrashing of Arsenal.
