ERLING HAALAND OPENS UP ABOUT ORIGINS OF HIS VIRAL ROBOT CELEBRATION
Erling Haaland revealed his new robot celebration is a direct response to being called a "robot" due to his insane stats. The Man City star explained the tribute to Peter Crouch after scoring twice against Bournemouth.
Erling Haaland has suggested that his new robot celebration is a playful response to those who tease him about his astonishing statistics - COURTESY/PHOTO
Erling Haaland has made it clear that his new robot celebration is a lighthearted retort to people who make fun of his incredible stats.
The 25-year-old Norwegian striker made his debut after scoring the first goal in 107 games since joining Manchester City in May 2022 against Bournemouth at the Etihad over the weekend. Only sixteen minutes later, he added a second, increasing his total to 98.
With 13 goals from the first 10 Premier League games, Haaland is presently leading the Golden Boot standings. He has also scored eight goals for Norway in World Cup qualifying, putting his nation on the verge of the competition the following year.
After Les Ferdinand in 1995–96 and Haaland himself three years prior, this is just the third time a player has achieved that total in the top division thus early in the season.
Many have referred to Haaland as "superhuman" because of his incredible stats, and the City striker shared the source of his new robot dance.
"I think Crouch (performed it) a little bit better than me, but I think the overall concept of the celebration was extremely wonderful for my side," Haaland said to TNT, referring to the well-known celebration that Peter Crouch made legendary.
Erling Haaland has implied that his new robot celebration, which was used after he scored against Bournemouth, is a lighthearted retort to people who make fun of his incredible stats.
When pushed to elaborate by TNT Sports host Jules Breach, Haaland said, "You know the reason."
"People calling you a robot, people calling you not human?" she said, to which Haaland responded with a knowing shrug and a broad smile.
"Yeah, I have mentioned it before," he continued. I arrived for a cause. I felt certain that I would perform here. Additionally, things have been going pretty well with Pep (Guardiola), and maybe they will continue to improve.
When Crouch scored for England in a friendly match against Hungary, he performed the robot celebration for the first time 19 years ago. A few days later, he did it again in a victory over Jamaica. After Haaland's dance, the former 42-cap England player even responded on X by tweeting, "I walked so they could run," coupled with a robot emoji and a tensing robotic arm.
After defeating Bournemouth, Manchester City moved up to second place in the Premier League, six points behind league leaders Arsenal.
"It is a significant win," Haaland stated following the game. Recovering from a poor away performance (against Aston Villa) is a good thing. It was pleasant.
By carrying out my duties, I attempted to support the squad. Winning is a fantastic feeling. We must continue to concentrate since we have two more crucial games left.
When Crouch scored for England in a friendly match 19 years ago, he executed the robot celebration for the first time.
I constantly attempt to help the team win, even though I did not score in our most recent game. That is my objective, and it makes no difference if I win duels or score goals.
"I wish to assist the squad in improving." That is what I do.
Haaland scored more than one goal in this Premier League home game for the fourth time in a row. Former Liverpool forwards Robbie Fowler and Luis Suarez are the only other players to have accomplished the feat.
MIKEL ARTETA’S ARSENAL MILESTONE: CHAMPIONS LEAGUE RECORD NOW SET
Mikel Arteta boasts the best Champions League win percentage (64%) for any English club manager after 20+ games. His leadership has restored Arsenal as a European force since their 2023 return.
Mikel Arteta Sets New Champions League Record - Photo by Gabriel Kuchta/Getty Images
Mikel Arteta has had an incredible trip as manager of Arsenal, and the Spaniard is still regarded as one of the most prestigious people in contemporary football. After being hired as a rookie manager in 2019, Arteta has made a significant impact on the game by turning the Gunners into a formidable force in Europe and at home.
With great leadership and a clear tactical philosophy, Arteta painstakingly rebuilt the team after inheriting a club that was looking for stability and identity. His ideology has produced a team that can compete at the top level by fusing offensive flair with disciplined organisation.
The Return of Arsenal to the European Elite
Arsenal had been out of Europe's top competition for six years until Arteta led them back into the Champions League in 2023. The Gunners have been one of the tournament's most outstanding sides since their comeback. They made it to the quarterfinals in their first season back, and the following year, they made it to the semi-finals. These accomplishments demonstrate the team's comeback under Arteta's leadership and their increasing self-assurance on the international scene.
Arsenal has consistently advanced in Europe thanks to a mix of squad depth, tactical experience, and a steadfast faith in the manager's philosophy. The squad is a formidable opponent that can equal any team in the competition because of its ability to adjust and change under duress. The secret to maintaining this calibre of play has been Arteta's attention to detail and his capacity to motivate players.
The Record-Breaking Impact of Arteta
Beyond his on-field accomplishments, Arteta has shaped Arsenal into one of the most ambitious teams in contemporary sport. His current campaign further solidifies his reputation as one of the world's top coaches, which has been established by his managerial development.
With Arsenal's victory over Slavia Prague, according to TNT, Arteta has now won 64% of his Champions League games, making him the manager with the best win percentage for an English club after at least 20 games. This figure demonstrates his exceptional tactical awareness and consistency.
Although Arsenal fans will be proud of this accomplishment, their ultimate goal is to watch the team win the Champions League trophy at the end of the current campaign. But for Arteta, every game remains a milestone in his development as a top manager and a representation of Arsenal's unwavering aspirations.
ANFIELD NIGHTMARE: MADRID FANS MISFIRE BLAME ON WRONG STAR
A poor team performance saw Real Madrid fall 1-0 to Liverpool at Anfield. Eduardo Camavinga was at fault for the goal, playing Alexis Mac Allister onside in a disappointing night for Xabi Alonso's side.
Photo Credit: Michael Regan/GettyImages
Real Madrid will not have a quick look back at that performance. They suffered their second defeat of the season under Xabi Alonso as they fell to Liverpool at Anfield Stadium.
Real Madrid supporters may contend that the defeat to Liverpool was even more humiliating than the defeat in their own city, even if the margins of defeat were (much) smaller than those in the Madrid Derby.
This is because Real Madrid never seemed to have a chance to win. Liverpool had the advantage from the beginning and had the opportunity to penalise Real Madrid considerably more than they did.
Thibaut Courtois actually saved Real Madrid this evening. If Madrid had won, we could have shouted that sentence, but since we lost, we will have to murmur it instead.
Who was Real Madrid's weakest player, if Courtois was their best? Well, truly, you can choose.
When Real Madrid played Liverpool, Eduardo Camavinga was their poorest player.
Arda Güler was awful tonight, if you were to base your football beliefs only on what you read online. To be truthful, he was, but he was not even the worst player at Real Madrid.
Although Eduardo Camavinga would not brag about being Real Madrid's poorest player, he would at least accept responsibility for it and work to improve in the following match.
Camavinga was a full-back for the majority of the game, despite his belief that he would be playing on the right flank tonight. Camavinga was pinned back more times than he would have liked by Florian Wirtz, who really turned it on for Liverpool tonight.
Only three of the eight duels that Camavinga tried ended in victory. Despite having a 91% completion rate, he did very little in the last part of the game.
Camavinga gave a terrible lesson tonight, albeit it might not have been his fault. He was prohibited from doing everything he attempted to do in the game.
However, Real Madrid lost the game because of the one factor that it could influence. Camavinga was the one who sent Alexis Mac Allister onside for Liverpool's lone goal.
You can tell how narrow the margins were by looking at the fact that the goal was sent to VAR for a possible offside. However, the innumerable replays made clear that Camavinga cost Real Madrid the match.