Even though Erling Haaland is likely to miss the Ballon d’Or next week, his bid to win it in 2025 is already in progress.
Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior is the top contender for soccer’s most prestigious award on Monday in Paris, but Haaland has been in incredible form this season.
The Norwegian striker scored his 14th goal in 13 matches for Manchester City, helping the defending English Premier League champions reach the top of the table after a 1-0 victory over Southampton on Saturday.
He scored the crucial goal just five minutes into the match at Etihad Stadium, following his two goals against Sparta Prague in the Champions League on Wednesday, one of which was an impressive heel volley.
His close-range shot against Southampton was simpler, but it was enough to put City two points ahead of second-place Liverpool, which plays Arsenal on Sunday.
In a day filled with late excitement, Aston Villa, in third place, dropped points after Evanilson scored in the sixth minute of added time to secure a 1-1 draw for Bournemouth. Bryan Mbeumo also scored in stoppage time, leading Brentford to a thrilling 4-3 comeback win over Ipswich, while winless Wolverhampton managed to score twice late to tie Brighton 2-2.
Everton also equalized in stoppage time, with Beto scoring to make it 1-1 against Fulham.
