'Monster'Elling Holan played a role like 'Monster' again.
Holan scored a hat trick in the second round of the English Premier League (EPL) in 2024-2025 season against Ipswich at Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England on the 25th (Korea time). Holan, who scored from a penalty kick 12 minutes into the game, scored an additional goal after beating the goalkeeper after dribbling four minutes later, and completed a hat trick with a surprise mid-range shot in the 43rd minute of the second half. Manchester City won a 4-1 victory with Holan's performance.
It is the first hat trick of this season's EPL. With this hat-trick, Holan completed his 10th official hat-trick in Man City's uniform. It was the seventh hat trick in the EPL. Holan is currently tied for seventh in this part with Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney. The player with the most hat tricks in the EPL is Sergio Aguero, a senior player in Manchester City. Aguero scored 12 hat tricks. With Holan's scoring pace, it seems possible to break a new record soon.
Holan, who also scored the first goal in the first round away match (2-0 win) against Chelsea on the 18th, scored four goals in two games, raising expectations for the top scorer for three consecutive seasons. Until the match against Ipswich, Holan played 101 games in Manchester City's uniform, scoring a whopping 94 goals. After the last Chelsea match, Pep Guardiola praised Holan for being a "blatant figure" and adding, "Holan is a player who can compete with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in scoring."
But for Guardiola, the best central striker was not Holan. According to Sportsbible on the 25th, a reporter asked the question 'Can Holan be called the most perfect central striker with this game?' Guardiola said: `The most amazing central striker I've ever seen is Messi. I've never seen a player like that before." Guardiola moved Messi, who was a right-sided striker during his time at Barcelona, to the No. 9 position, making him the best goalscorer in history.
vanbasten@sportschosun.com
