sport news Erling Haaland is leading the Golden Boot race but is scoring at his lowest ... trends now

There's no doubt Erling Haaland's rise to prominence has been nothing short of spectacular. From his breakout performances at Borussia Dortmund to his transition to Manchester City, the Norwegian striker has consistently hit the headlines for his goal-scoring prowess.

Or, at least he did. Despite leading the Premier League scoring charts with 18 goals - two more than a trio of players tied for second-place - Haaland has come under criticism for his all-round play and eye-catching misses this term.

Since a lengthy lay-off due to a stress fracture either side of the new year, he has found the net in three of his nine outings and grabbed a brace in only one. His numbers remain impressive but represent a drop-off from his previous output. 

Roy Keane even went as far as calling Haaland a 'League Two player' following Manchester City's 0-0 draw with Arsenal. He questioned the striker's general ability given he had 23 touches during the game, no shots on target, nor key passes as the home side fell two points behind the Premier League leaders Liverpool. 

So, with the above in mind, Mail Sport have taken a look at how Haaland is performing this season despite being the Premier League's highest goal scorer so far this term. 

Haaland's ability to find the back of the net with alarming frequency has been a defining feature of his game. He established himself as one of Europe's most lethal forwards during his time at Dortmund, scoring 16 goals in the 2019-2020 season. 

However, a move to Manchester City in the 2022/2023 campaign brought about a surge in his goal-scoring rate. He netted 10 goals in six appearances, the joint-fastest player in the history of the competition to reach that tally, alongside Micky Quinn back in 1992. 

It wasn't just Premier League records that Haaland was breaking when he joined Pep Guardiola's side. He bagged a brace against Seville to become the first City player to score on their Premier League and Champions League debut, following his brace at West Ham in the league. 

Haaland's second goal against Seville marked his 25th goal in the Champions League after time at Salzburg and Borussia Dortmund. As a result, he became the youngest player to reach such a tally in Europe's most prestigious competition.  

He didn't stop there. He became the fastest player to score three Premier League hat-tricks, the first player to score in seven successive Premier League games for City, the first player to score 20 Premier League goals before January, the first top-flight player to score 50 goals in a season since 1931. The list goes on. 

So, it comes as no surprise Haaland has not yet beaten his goal-scoring record from last season. Plus, his opponents are doing everything in their power to stop him from getting the ball.

Just look at City's game with Arsenal on the weekend. Arsenal's central defensive pairing of William Saliba and Gabriel were almost always touch-tight to the forward throughout the tie. 

However, Haaland is experiencing a significant drop in goal scoring form this season. He is only managing 0.80 goals per 90 minutes - his lowest over the last five years.

While Haaland's goal-scoring exploits often steal the spotlight, his contribution extends beyond finding the back of the net. Haaland's assist numbers showcase a steady progression, particularly during his tenure at Dortmund. 

Haaland provided 0.17 assists per 90 minutes during his debut season at Dortmund. That rose to 0.22 in the 2020-2021 season before rising again to 0.33 during the 2021-2022 season. 

However, his assist stats dropped to 0.26 during his first season with Manchester City. Although, it's not entirely surprising considering Haaland's role within the squad.

Kevin De Bruyne and City's other midfielder maestros tend to enjoy the lions share of possession, circulating the ball between them before finding the likes of Haaland in the box. 

It's something that was highlighted during Sergio Aguero's

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