Erling Haaland, the dynamic striker for Manchester City, has begun the 2023/24 Premier League season with a bang, securing his fifth hat-trick in the English top flight. This remarkable feat came during Manchester City's commanding 5-1 victory over Fulham on September 2, 2023.

As the young Norwegian continues to dominate the Premier League, football enthusiasts worldwide wonder if he can challenge the legendary Alan Shearer's record for the most Premier League hat-tricks. This article delves into the fascinating world of hat-tricks in the English Premier League.

Who Reigns Supreme

Since the inception of the Premier League in the 1992/93 season, over 200 hat-tricks have graced the English football stage. Surprisingly, the man at the top of this elite list is not Cristiano Ronaldo, Mohamed Salah, Wayne Rooney, or even Alan Shearer.

Instead, it's the former Manchester City sharpshooter, Sergio Aguero, who holds the crown with a staggering 12 hat-tricks. Aguero's decade-long tenure with Manchester City saw him become a goal-scoring phenomenon, amassing 184 top-flight goals in 275 appearances.

erling.haaland/ Instagram | Erling Haaland is Manchester City's goalscoring machine

Aguero's remarkable journey began in September 2011 when he claimed his first Premier League hat-trick against Wigan. His final one came in January 2020 when Manchester City dismantled Aston Villa 6-1. However, his retirement followed his move to Barcelona due to a heart condition, leaving his record untouched.

Alan Shearer, the all-time Premier League goalscorer, comes in second with 11 hat-tricks, while Robbie Fowler sits in third with nine. Notably, Erling Haaland shattered the record for the fewest games needed to secure three hat-tricks, achieving this feat in just eight matches. He became the first Premier League player to score a hat-trick in three consecutive home league matches.

The Season of Hat-Tricks

During the 1995/96 season, Alan Shearer delivered a masterclass in goal-scoring, notching an astounding five hat-tricks for Blackburn Rovers. His remarkable journey began in September 1995 against Coventry City and continued with trebles against Nottingham Forest, West Ham, Bolton, and Tottenham.

erling.haaland/ Instagram | Despite his still tender years, Haaland is already a formidable physical presence

Shearer's prolific season ended with an impressive tally of 31 league goals, and his five hat-tricks accounted for nearly half of his 11 career trebles in the modern Premier League. Remarkably, Shearer also holds the record for being the youngest player, at 17 years and 240 days old, to score a hat-trick in the old top division, achieved during his full debut for Southampton against Arsenal in 1988.

Harry Kane comes second in this list with four hat-tricks in the 2016/17 season, all scored after the new year. Other notable players with multiple hat-tricks in a Premier League season include Cristiano Ronaldo, Thierry Henry, Sergio Aguero, Wayne Rooney, Didier Drogba, Michael Owen, and Erling Haaland.

Speedsters and Records

Son Heung-min's memorable hat-trick in just 13 minutes as a substitute against Leicester City during the 2022/23 season left football fans in awe. However, it wasn't the fastest hat-trick in Premier League history. Sadio Mane earned that honor by scoring three goals in just 2 minutes and 56 seconds for Southampton against Aston Villa in May 2015. This astonishing feat saw Southampton leading 3-0 by the 16th minute, making it the quickest hat-trick in league history.

Before Mane's record-breaking hat-trick, Robbie Fowler held the fastest hat-trick record, accomplishing the feat in four minutes and 33 seconds for Liverpool against Arsenal in August 1994.

erling.haaland/ Instagram | Erling Haaland is a Norwegian footballer who plays as a striker for Manchester City.

Other Intriguing Hat-Trick Records

The Premier League has witnessed several intriguing hat-trick records over the years. The first-ever Premier League hat-trick was scored by Eric Cantona for Leeds United in August 1992 against Tottenham, marking the beginning of a tradition that has seen over 200 hat-tricks since.

In his Liverpool days, Luis Suarez terrorized Norwich City by scoring three hat-tricks against the same club, a unique achievement in Premier League history. In the 2007/08 season, Emmanuel Adebayor scored a hat-trick for Tottenham in both league games against Bolton, marking the first time a player scored a hat-trick in both fixtures against the same opponent in the same season.

Seven players have scored hat-tricks in consecutive matches, including Les Ferdinand, Ian Wright, Didier Drogba, Wayne Rooney, Harry Kane (twice), Sergio Aguero, and Erling Haaland.

Erling Haaland, the rising star, joined the list of players who scored a 'perfect' hat-trick by netting with his left foot, right foot, and head during a match against Nottingham Forest on August 31, 2022. While Robbie Fowler holds the distinction of three "perfect" hat-tricks in Premier League history, Sergio Aguero and Yakubu have achieved this feat twice.

Lastly, Duncan Ferguson of Everton and Salomon Rondon of West Bromwich Albion are the only players in Premier League history to score a hat-trick with every goal coming from headers.