Erling Haaland: Can Man City striker track down Messi, Ronaldo and single-season record?

Norwegian striker scores his 45th goal in all competitions after his strike against Bayern Munich

Erling Haaland scored Manchester City's third goal in the 3-0 win over Bayern Munich to take his tally for the season to 45. Reuters

Erling Haaland scored his 45th goal of the season on Tuesday night as Manchester City delivered a statement performance against Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Haaland scored the third in City's 3-0 first-leg win over Bayern at the Etihad to set the latest record in a career that has already been full of them. By reaching 45 goals, the Norwegian striker has now scored the most goals in a single season by a player at a Premier League club.

The previous record of 44 was shared by former Manchester United forward Ruud van Nistelrooy (2002/03) and Liverpool star Mohamed Salah (2017/18). Both players achieved the milestone in 52 appearances; Haaland has managed 45 in just 39 games.

It adds to a list of records the 22-year-old striker has emphatically secured during his prodigious career so far. Those records include: becoming the youngest and fastest player to score 20 Champions League goals, and the only player to do so before the age of 21; achieving the best goals-per-minute ratio in Bundesliga history (a goal every 87 minutes); and the youngest and quickest player to score 50 Bundesliga goals.

Since joining City from Borussia Dortmund last summer, the records have continued to tumble. Haaland, whose 30 Premier League goals puts him well clear of Harry Kane (23) in the Golden Boot race, is the first Premier League player to score hat-tricks in three successive home games. Unsurprisingly, Haaland is the quickest player to score three Premier League hat-tricks, achieved in just eight games; the previous record was held by Michael Owen, whose third treble came in his 48th match.

The Norwegian, averaging a Premier League goal every 73 minutes, is well on track to break Alan Shearer and Andy Cole's joint record of most goals in a Premier League season (34), and at the current rate could end the campaign with 41.

Given his remarkable debut season for City so far, it's only natural to see how Haaland's campaign compares to the greatest goal-scoring seasons of all time. Can he fire his way to one of the most prolific campaigns in history?

Here are the highest-scoring seasons involving players in Europe's top five leagues.

Lionel Messi (Barcelona) – 2014/15: 58 goals

The first of three entries for the Argentine superstar, Messi scored 43 La Liga goals, five in the Copa del Rey, and 10 in the Champions League to fire Barcelona to the treble. His 58 goals were achieved in 57 games.

Luis Suarez (Barcelona) – 2015/16: 59 goals

The Uruguayan scored 40 La Liga goals, five in the Copa del Rey, eight in the Champions League, five in the Club World Cup, and one in the Uefa Super Cup. Suarez's 59 goals were scored in 53 games and helped Barca secure the domestic double in Spain.

Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) – 2011/12: 60 goals

One of Ronaldo's many prolific seasons at Real Madrid saw the Portuguese star score 46 La Liga goals, 10 in the Champions League, three in the Copa del Rey, and one in the Spanish Super Cup to lead his team to La Liga glory.

Cristiano Ronaldo has produced two of the most prolific season in history, both for Real Madrid. Getty

Lionel Messi (Barcelona) – 2012/13: 60 goals

Messi appears on this list a second time with 46 La Liga goals, eight in the Champions League, four in the Copa del Rey, and two goals in the Spanish Super Cup as Barcelona won the league title.

Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) – 2014/15: 61 goals

Ronaldo went one better with his second entry with 48 La Liga goals, 10 in the Champions League, one in the Copa del Rey, and two in the Spanish Super Cup. Unfortunately, his goal-scoring exploits were not rewarded with major silverware as Real Madrid could only claim the Fifa Club World Cup this season.

Dixie Dean (Everton) – 1927/28: 63 goals

The English goalscoring record Haaland has been getting compared to this season, Dean scored a staggering 60 league goals to fire Everton to the First Division title, and scored a further three in the FA Cup. Back then, the league season was played over 42 games, but still, it's a remarkable number of goals.

Lionel Messi holds the record for most goals in a single season with 73 for Barcelona. Getty

Gerd Muller (Bayern Munich) – 1972/73: 66 goals

A record that stood for 39 years, Muller scored 36 goals in the Bundesliga, seven in the German Cup, 12 in the League Cup and 11 in the European Cup as Bayern Munich won the league title.

Lionel Messi (Barcelona) – 2011/12: 73 goals

The greatest goalscoring season in history. Messi scored 50 La Liga goals, 14 in the Champions League, three in the Copa del Rey, three in the Spanish Super Cup, two in the Club World Cup, and one in the Uefa Super Cup. Despite Messi's record-breaking campaign, Barcelona had to settle for the Copa del Rey and Club World Cup, having finished runners-up in La Liga and reaching the Champions League semi-finals.