OLIVER HOLT: To study Haaland is to witness a tutorial in the art of modern goalscoring

In light of the widespread determination, especially among broadcasters, to pretend that English football was invented in 1992 and that it produced no great goalscorers or players until the Premier League was formed, it seems valid to point out that Jimmy Greaves scored as many or more league goals as Erling Haaland has scored in three out of four seasons in the 1960s this season.

Greaves’ highest single-season league total was 41 in 1960–61. John Charles got 38 for Leeds United in 1956-57. Ted Drake got 42 for Arsenal in 1934-35, Pongo Waring got 49 for Aston Villa in 1930-31 and Dixie Dean scored 60 for Everton in 1926-27.

Haaland could still threaten Dean’s single-season record of 63 goals in all competitions in the English game, but Dean played no games in European competition, so the comparison is skewed.

That’s the end of my attempt at restraint. The caveats to the greatness of others in the past doesn’t change the fact that any chance to see Haaland play for Manchester City this season was a privilege.

Every time we see him play, every time we see him score is loaded with the feeling that we are watching something special. We watch history unfold before us.

Sure, Haaland still has boundaries to push, but I’ve always regarded Greaves as the benchmark of greatness and I didn’t think I’d see a striker come close to his season tally of 41 top flight goals in my life.

That Haaland is on 35 league goals with four games to play in a highly competitive division marks him as a phenomenon. To have studied him, to have watched the analysis of his methods, has been like a tutorial in the art of modern goal-scoring.

In the end, his amazing hunger and consistency and brilliance made it easy to put his name on my ballot this week for the Football Writers’ Association Men’s Footballer of the Year award, which will be announced on Friday. Even in the context of a riveting title race, my expectation is that Haaland will win by a landslide.

It’s not for lack of other good candidates. Alexis Mac Allister has had a fantastic season for Brighton and the small matter of playing a leading role in Argentina winning the World Cup in December takes him to the next level in everyone’s mind.

Ivan Toney has had another excellent season for Brentford and somehow continues to excel despite the FA’s accusations hanging over him.

Miguel Almiron and Bruno Guimaraes have led Newcastle’s climb to the top four, Bukayo Saka was a joy to watch as he led Arsenal’s title challenge. Martin Odegaard was the best midfielder in the country, although Kevin De Bruyne has been breathtakingly good in recent months.

But none of them can match Haaland’s contribution. It’s not just the goals either, although the goals would probably be enough. It’s how Haaland has grown and matured as a player as the season has progressed. It’s the way he made such a difference to an already formidable City side.

It’s the way a man playing in a position that often evokes eye-popping selfishness on a football field begins to find more and more satisfaction in being a team player, in creating goals for others.

It’s the way that, even with history beckoning him at every turn, Haaland has chosen to give teammates the chance to score rather than hoarding the chances for himself.

I was at the Etihad to watch him play against Leeds on Saturday, a match notable for not scoring. It was actually far from his best game. He missed several gilt-edged chances and hit the post when he should have scored. His tilt on Greaves’ and Dean’s total stalled.

In those circumstances, it felt even more admirable that when City conceded a penalty late in the game, Haaland sacrificed the chance to grab it, leaving Ilkay Gundogan the chance to add a third goal to the two he already scored. had scored and complete his goal. first ever hat trick.

Gundogan missed the penalty and both he and Haaland incurred the wrath of Pep Guardiola, but what will remain is that a goalscorer like Haaland was willing to give up a penalty for his captain. Almost every other striker I can think of would have insisted on taking that kick himself.

But even if his generosity was misplaced, Haaland’s gesture spoke of wider significance for his team. It is about much more than individual statistics.

I’ve enjoyed his goals this season, but the moments that have stuck with me were the way he missed the chance to shoot at a critical moment of City’s Champions League quarter-final first leg against Bayern Munich last month and a perfect cross floated into the path. from Bernardo Silva, whose header put City two ahead.

The other moment was when he took a long ball from John Stones last month, under pressure from Rob Holding, who climbed over him, in the biggest game of the season against Arsenal last month. Haaland shielded the ball brilliantly and then played a perfect lay-off in the path of De Bruyne, who ran through to put City ahead.

Even over the weekend, Guardiola spoke of Haaland’s commitment to the cause with admiration. Success hasn’t dampened his hunger one iota. The City manager said Haaland went to the training ground at 11pm last week for treatment in his quest to better recover from a game against West Ham.

Other players from other clubs do this too, but it was another sign of Haaland’s unwavering professionalism. It has not gone unnoticed that at a time when other players may be tired after a long season and their performances rationed, Haaland has played the full 90 minutes in each of City’s last four games.

Wayne Rooney pointed out in his newspaper column last weekend that Haaland has transformed City’s threat to opponents this season, particularly against the leading sides. His signing may prove to be the final puzzle piece City have put together in their quest to win the Champions League for the first time.

Whether they do it or not, whether he scores against Real Madrid at the Bernabéu in the first leg of their semi-final tonight or not, his impact on English football this season has been explosive.

To have witnessed a player break Premier League records set by strikers as brilliant as Alan Shearer and Andy Cole, and to have seen Haaland reach a point where it is even conceivable that he would surpass Greaves’ league tally of 41 is enough to tell us that we are in the presence of a generational talent.

Why the heroic Houghton gets my vote

I voted for Steph Houghton as my FWA Women’s Footballer of the Year.

I don’t want to ignore Manchester United’s remarkable season in the WSL, but I must admit I have some prejudices about Houghton.

To watch her recover from injury and the crushing disappointment of missing out on England’s European Championship win, to see her rediscover her best form at the age of 35, reestablish herself at Manchester City and lead their own title challenge, all while supporting her husband Stephen Darby in his fight against motor neurone disease, has witnessed an inspiring footballer.

Warnock has brought pride and joy

Neil Warnock has cemented his place as one of the great figures in English football history.

He won’t be remembered for the kind of glory achieved by Sir Alex Ferguson, Bob Paisley, Brian Clough or Pep Guardiola, but he will be remembered for managing more matches than anyone else and for the joy and pride he brought to millions has brought. fans at the heart of our game.

His mastermind behind Huddersfield Town’s great escape from relegation at the foot of the Championship this season was just the latest example of a knack for man management and populism in football that few can match.