Haaland admits Rooney and Aguero Derby record was ‘In my head’

Erling Haaland has admitted he knew exactly what was at stake before becoming the leading Manchester derby goalscorer of the Premier League era.

The Manchester City striker scored the decisive goal in the 1-0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford, taking his remarkable derby record to nine goals in only eight league appearances.

That moved Haaland clear of Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney and former City striker Sergio Aguero, who had previously shared the record with eight.

For Haaland, it was not a milestone he discovered after the final whistle. The Norwegian revealed he had already read about the record and entered the derby knowing another goal would put him into the history books.

“I knew about this record before, I read about it, so it had ended up in my head,” Haaland admitted.

“I’m super proud of that. This is something that makes me really, really happy because we all know how special this game is.”

His record-breaking moment arrived in the 60th minute and proved particularly important for Enzo Maresca's side, who were playing with 10 men following Phil Foden's first-half red card.

After Haaland found the net, there was a lengthy VAR review before the goal was eventually allowed to stand.

The finish continued Haaland's extraordinary record against United and underlined his ability to produce in one of City's biggest fixtures.

Despite being aware of the record, Haaland insists there is little complicated about his thought process when a goalscoring opportunity arrives.

“It’s just pure instinct, of what I feel is the right thing to do,” he explained.

For Haaland, finishing is ultimately about finding the simplest route to goal rather than overthinking individual situations.

“It’s just about trying to get the ball in the back of the net and shooting good enough so the keeper cannot save it,” he added.

That mentality has helped transform Haaland into a defining figure in the Manchester derby since arriving from Borussia Dortmund.

He has also embraced the rivalry itself and the exchanges between City and United supporters.

“Ever since I came to Manchester, they gave me a little bit, I give them a little bit,” Haaland said. “It’s about having some banter and enjoying the love of the game and fighting for your team.”

Breaking another goalscoring record has not reduced Haaland's ambitions.

At 26, the striker believes there are still areas of his game he can develop, while his priority remains delivering decisive moments for Manchester City and helping Maresca's team compete for silverware.

“I can still develop parts of my game,” Haaland said. “I have to be the decisive player, so it’s about delivering what I can do for Manchester City.”

With nine Premier League derby goals already, Haaland has moved beyond two of Manchester's most iconic strikers. Given his age and extraordinary scoring rate against United, the record could now be pushed considerably higher.

Haaland will now look to extend a record that already belongs solely to him while continuing Manchester City's strong start under Enzo Maresca.

His immediate focus remains collective success rather than individual milestones, but with nine goals in only eight Premier League appearances against United, future Manchester derbies could see Haaland put significant distance between himself, Rooney and Aguero.