While he has scored against every Premier League opponent he has faced, Erling Haaland does struggle against some teams more than others.
Describing any team as a bogey team for Haaland does feel like saying Lionel Messi has a weak foot but the Norwegian has struggled against some opponents compared to his very high standards.
Here’s who can claim to have a better record than most against him.
Chelsea and Tottenham – Four goals in eight matches
We appreciate scoring in half the games you played is borderline bogey team but it is compared to Haaland’s lofty standards.
The Norwegian has managed four goals in eight games against both Chelsea and Spurs in the Premier League.
Against the blue side of London, his goals came in the 2023/24 and 2024/25 seasons with a brace as part of a 4-4 draw but he has gone the last two games without a goal.
Against Spurs, Haaland scored in his first match against them and has scored in every season against them apart from the last campaign.
Bournemouth – Four goals in nine matches
A goals-to-game ratio of below 0.5 means we are officially in bogey side territory for Haaland.
The first of those is Bournemouth who have restricted the City forward to four goals in the nine Premier League matches they have faced him.
He has faced the Cherries in the Premier League more times than any other opponent but after a goal in his first visit to the Vitality, he went four games without scoring.
He then hit a brace in the home leg of the 2025/26 match and another one in the return fixture but he failed to score this season in what was City’s opening fixture of the campaign.
Aston Villa – One goal in five matches
Ahead of their lunchtime kick-off, Aston Villa can currently claim to be quite good at stopping Haaland from scoring.
The first time they faced him, he scored as part of a 1-1 draw but since then, the Norwegian has not managed another goal.
That is a run of four games without a goal against the Birmingham side, although it should be noted that Haaland has not played Villa at the Etihad since 2023.
Still, keeping Haaland to just one goal is an impressive feat.
And yes, this will undoubtedly mean he scores a hat-trick today.
Newcastle United – One goal in seven matches
Villa’s record is good but the kings of stopping Haaland are Newcastle.
In the seven Premier League matches they have faced him, he has only scored once and that came all the way back in 2022.
That was Haaland’s first game against Newcastle and was part of a 3-3 draw at St James’ but he has been quiet in the games since.
Even expanding it out to cup competitions, Haaland has failed to score in the two League Cup and one FA Cup matches the two teams have faced.
Haaland’s next chance to add to his tally will come on Boxing Day.
