Erling Haaland once again proved why he remains one of the most lethal forwards in world football, netting twice in Manchester City’s 3–1 triumph over Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
Yet, it wasn’t just the goals that got fans talking—it was Erling Haaland’s robot celebration.
After opening the scoring in the 17th minute, Haaland stunned supporters by breaking into a robot dance, an unmistakable nod to Peter Crouch’s famous celebration from his England days.
The Norwegian’s performance and the nostalgic moment quickly set social media alight, with Crouch himself joining in the fun.
Crouch’s classic dance makes a comeback
The City striker was in scintillating form once again, bringing his Premier League tally to 13 goals in just ten matches this season. It marks only the third time in the competition’s history that a player has reached such a milestone so early, following Les Ferdinand in the 1995/96 campaign and Haaland himself three years ago.
Haaland’s opener came after he burst through Bournemouth’s back line before calmly slotting the ball past goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic. But it was his post-goal antics that had everyone smiling.
Erling Haaland’s robot celebration after the goal was made popular by Peter Crouch nearly two decades ago and it quickly became one of the weekend’s standout moments.
The gesture didn’t go unnoticed by Crouch, who took to X (formerly Twitter) to deliver a characteristically witty response.
“I walked so they could run,” the former England forward wrote, adding a robotic arm and robot emoji for good measure.
The tongue-in-cheek remark captured the affection fans still hold for his playful celebration, first seen in 2006 after scoring against Hungary in a friendly.
Crouch reprised the move just days later when he netted a hat-trick against Jamaica in England’s World Cup warm-up match. The celebration went on to become one of the most memorable in English football, forever linked with his tall frame and easygoing personality.
During his career, Crouch amassed 22 goals in 42 appearances for England and 106 Premier League strikes across spells with clubs including Liverpool, Tottenham, Stoke City, Portsmouth, Aston Villa, Southampton and Bournemouth.
His light-hearted reaction to Haaland’s imitation underlined the camaraderie between generations of footballers—and the lasting cultural imprint of his famous dance.
Haaland maintains red-hot form as City climb
While Erling Haaland’s robot celebration drew headlines, his football did the real talking.
After Bournemouth equalised through Tyler Adams, the Norwegian restored City’s advantage before half-time with another well-taken finish, though he decided not to repeat the celebration the second time around.
Young midfielder Nico O’Reilly added a third after the break, securing a vital three points for Pep Guardiola’s side.
The win lifted City into second place in the Premier League, moving them above Bournemouth but still six points adrift of leaders Arsenal.
Speaking after the match, Haaland expressed satisfaction with both the performance and the response to last week’s setback.
“It is an important win. It is good to bounce back after losing a bad away game [against Aston Villa]. It was nice,” he told Sky Sports.
“I tried to contribute for the team by doing my job. It is good to win, now we have two more important games to come so we have to keep focusing.”
The striker also reflected on his role within the team, emphasising effort over individual accolades.
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“I didn’t score in our last game and I always try to help the team to win. That’s my goal and whether that’s by scoring or winning duels, it doesn’t matter. I want to help the team become better, that is my job.”
Haaland was substituted before he could complete his hat-trick, prompting amusement among fans and frustration for those managing him in fantasy football.
Laughing off the decision, he added: “There were probably a few Fantasy managers out there who were not so happy!”
The Norwegian’s brace took his Manchester City total to an astonishing 141 goals in 159 appearances since his arrival in 2022—a strike rate that continues to defy belief.
His relentless consistency, combined with the flair of moments like Sunday’s celebration, has further cemented his place as both a ruthless goalscorer and an entertainer.