After a record-breaking first Premier League season, Erling Haaland has set the bar very high for himself in front of goal.
So high in fact that the 23-year-old scoring just once in Sunday’s 3-1 win over West Ham was enough to raise some eyebrows.
Haaland looked as threatening as usual but wasn’t at his sharpest as he failed to make the most of a few half chances.
The Norway international’s sole goal came in the 86th minute and after a match in which his expected goals (xG) statistic hit a season-high 2.56.
It was a rare match in which Haaland, who now has seven Premier League goals this season, didn’t bury his chances as reported as usual.
But speaking on The Weekend Wrap on Optus Sport, former Everton forward Jermaine Beckford stressed it shouldn’t be a cause for concern as the Norwegian continues to get himself in the right areas.
“He’s human. He’s not a machine or a robot. The thing that would worry or worry me was if he wasn’t getting in those positions and he wasn’t getting those opportunities and chances,” Beckford said.
“Even though he got in these positions and missed those massive chances, he still continued to get himself in those areas and it didn’t bother him, it didn’t fade him.
“The one that did come to him, he made sure he made the most of it.”
Former Liverpool midfielder Don Hutchison added that Haaland’s performance still suggests he’s capable of matching his goal tally since last season.
“I think sometimes we can look a bit too deep and go, ‘Oh well, he doesn’t have his finishing boots on there, he’s not as good as what he was’ but come on man, he’s had six great chances that tells you that the team are playing for him and on another day he’ll come away with four” Hutchison said.
“He’ll take that (xG) every game, if you’ve got that as a striker every game, you’re banging 52 in again.”