Erling Haaland has bookies spooked as the Manchester City striker races to 20 Premier League goals

Erling Haaland’s staggering goalscoring exploits have major bookmakers fearing huge losses on him this season.

The Manchester City striker has raced to 20 Premier League goals during his debut campaign, reaching the landmark in just 14 appearances since a summer move from Borussia Dortmund.

Punters with Sky Bet backed him to double that tally before a ball was even kicked, with several hundred bets placed at 250/1 for the Norwegian to net 40 or more times.

Odds came down to 150/1 as the market generated more interest, with the price then tumbling to 6/5 as Haaland’s stunning start to life in England continued.

The windfall for those who backed Haaland early on could end up coming to a combined six figures, with cashout options already close to 50 per cent potential winnings.

The 22-year-old looks a certainty to claim the golden boot after another brace against Leeds United on Wednesday night, stressing that time spent watching the World Cup has left him hungrier to succeed.

Andrew Cole and Alan Shearer hold the record for the most Premier League goals in a year, notching 34 each over a 40-game season. Haaland is looking to break Mohamed Salah’s 38-game record of 32, set in 2018.

Pep Guardiola has revealed that his No 9 is not fully match fit but he goes into tomorrow afternoon’s home match against Everton only four goals shy of beating the previous four golden boot totals.

He has three hat-tricks already, with plenty placing bets at the beginning of the season on him scoring five or more trebles for City, which could again significantly hit Sky Bet in the pockets.