Shearer: Haaland’s a scoring machine

ALAN SHEARER last night hailed Erling Haaland ‘a beast’ after the Manchester City ace made it nine goals in a week with his hat-trick in the 6-0 FA Cup demolition of Burnley.

Haaland scored the first three City goals to make it six hat-tricks and an eye-watering 42 goals in 37 games since moving from Dortmund in the summer.

‘Haaland is a beast,’ said Shearer, the Premier League’s record scorer. ‘He is a goalscoring machine. He lives and breathes goals.

‘If he doesn’t score he doesn’t sleep at night.’

Haaland, who bagged five against Leipzig in a 7-0 Champions League rout on Wednesday, admitted: ‘It’s been a good couple of games. A 7-0 and a 6-0 before the national team break is impressive. I’m really happy.

‘Every goal for the team means a lot. It’s an amazing win against a really good Burnley side. I’m really happy.

Haaland has now eclipsed his previous best 41-goal haul for Borussia Dortmund in 2020-21 but admits he hasn’t set himself a target for this season.

‘No, I have not,’ said the Norwegian. ‘I’m a striker, I love to score goals, but my focus is not on scoring goals but on getting the chances.’

Burnley boss Vincent Kompany said: ‘As an experienced defender I know exactly where he’s going, but he’s that quick.

‘Good strikers make it seem like every rebound lands at their feet, and he’s one of them.’